FSU

Welcome to the Foundation Stage Unit! The place to be for the youngest children in Lanner School!

The unit is staffed by specially trained Foundation Stage teacher and support staff and we are very lucky to have two, well-resourced classrooms as well as a covered outside area that can be accessed in all weathers. We have a large garden that is available to the children throughout the day and offers opportunities for nature investigations, sand, digging, water play, building, imaginative play and more!

We are a happy team who love to engage the children in investigating, exploring and developing learning both inside the classroom and out. We believe that it is important that our youngest children are encouraged to learn in an environment that enables them to make choices and to assume responsibility for their learning by following their interests and enthusiasms. The reception age children and nursery children work closely together, supporting each others learning adventures.

The Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework is used to support an integrated approach to the learning, development and care of the children. In FSU the three prime areas of learning are:

• communication and language
• physical development
• personal, social and emotional development

We place great emphasis on these three areas as it is important that we ignite our children’s curiosity, encourage their enthusiasms and build their capacity to learn, to form relationships and to thrive.

These three prime areas are strengthened and applied through the four specific areas of:

• literacy
• mathematics
• understanding the world
• expressive arts and design

Underpinning these seven areas of learning are the characteristics of effective learning

• playing and exploring
• active learning
• creating and thinking critically

These play an essential role in a child’s learning and are linked to the school’s learning power superheroes – Engagement Ella, Motivation Mike and Think Flash .

Planning includes the delivery of a themed approach to learning through topics, selected by the children and guided by adults.The children in FSU follow a daily routine which allows adults to plan learning opportunities that best meet the needs of the children and that focus on the basic skills of reading, writing and number work.Phonics – the teaching of letter sounds to read and to write – is taught daily. Children are explicitly taught the skills of blending (putting the letter sounds together to read words) and of segmenting (separating letter sounds to spell). A short adult led session is taught daily using Read Write Inc resources.

We value parents as partners and emphasise the importance of home and school working together. As well as occasional topic linked home/school projects we would like you to spend 5 – 10mins sharing a book with your child every day.

 

Autumn Term 23

 

 

 

We love reading at Lanner!  Reading to, and with, your child is one of the greatest gifts you can give as this early acquisition of a love for reading will ensure your children becomes a reader for life.  Research shows that reading and talking to your child about stories, information books and poems from an early age benefits them for life.  We believe that reading is the key to life!

The vast choice of books on offer can be a little confusing so why not have a look at the recommended reads below for Nursery and Reception age children.  Many of these books are also available at the local library so, if you’re not already a member, take a look at the link below to join up.