Purfleet Primary School

What is the Foundation Stage? The Foundation Stage is for children aged 3-5. These early years in the nursery or pre-school, together with their time in reception class at primary school, make up the Foundation Stage. It probably won’t feel like learning – most children see it as just fun and play.  But as they get to grips with speaking and listening, singing and dancing, stories and counting, they’ll be gaining all the basic skills that will get them off to a flying start when they reach Year 1 and begin the National Curriculum.

What are the early learning goals?  The early learning goals set out what most children are expected to achieve by the end of the Foundation Stage. They help people who work with children aged 3-5 to focus on what children need to learn. They are six broad areas of learning:

• Personal, social and emotional development. Your child will learn to be self-confident, take an interest in things, know what their own needs are, tell the difference between right and wrong, and be able to dress and undress.
• Communication, language and literacy.  Your child will learn to talk confidently and clearly, enjoying stories, songs and poems, hearing and saying sounds, and linking them to the alphabet. They will read and write some familiar words and learn to use a pencil.
• Mathematical development.  Your child will develop an understanding of moths through stories, songs, games and imaginative play. They will become comfortable with numbers and with ideas such as ‘heavier than’ or ‘bigger’. They will be aware of shapes and space.
• Knowledge and understanding of the world.  Your child will explore and find out about the world around them, asking questions about it. They will build with different materials, know about everyday technology and learn what it is used for. They will find out about past events in their lives and their families’ lives. They will find out about different cultures and beliefs.
• Physical development.  Your child will learn to move confidently, controlling their body and handling equipment.
• Creative development.  Your child will explore colours and shapes, trying out dance, making things, telling stories and making music.

Will the goals put pressure on my child?  No. Most of the time children will feel they are just playing and having fun. Sometimes they will choose what they want to do. Sometimes they will take part in an activity that helps them learn how to concentrate or develop a particular skill, like using scissors or gluing card.

Will my child be tested at the end of the Foundation Stage?  No, and there is no cause for concern if your child moves forward faster in some areas than others.

Our core values are equality, integrity, respect, inclusion and care.
The work we do with partners will;

• draw on shared ideas and the best of practice;
  
• foster mutual accountability and shared responsibilty;
  
• have energy and optimism.
  

Total teaching time in school is 23 and a half hours. This time excludes the daily act of worship, registration, and breaks (including lunchtime).
We make every effort to ensure that each child masters the basic skills of reading, writing and mathematics. In addition he/she will be encouraged to express him/herself creatively through drama, art, music and movement, This will take place within the framework of the National Curriculum.
Literacy, which includes reading, writing and spelling is taught through the daily Success For All session. Teachers plan within a framework of shared reading or writing.

Every class has a daily dedicated maths lesson which focuses on a mental maths oral starter, then the main teaching activity working as a whole class and in groups and finally a plenary session to round off the lesson.
Science is taught throughout the year in blocked units according to the National Curriculum requirements.
ICT, Information and Communication Technology, is a subject that is taught throughout school as a subject in its own right but mostly as a cross curricular way of supporting the core and foundation subjects.
The foundation subjects of history, geography, technology, music, art, religious education and physical education will continue to be incorporated into a 'topic centred' approach wherever possible. This means that the relevant Attainment Targets will be taught as they occur within a planned theme. There will also be a strong emphasis placed on personal, social education and health education throughout the school.

Sex education is part of our overall responsibilty. At Purfleet we have drawn up a policy in consultation with governers, parents and the Health Authority. This mainly involves children in their final year. Parents are invited to preview material and given the opportunity to opt their child out of the programme if they wish.

Our school is divided into Three seperate groups or Key Stages.

Foundation Stage consists of Nursery and Reception Classes

Key Stage One consists of Year 1 and Year 2 classes (Year Two take a SATs test in May 2006)

Key Stage Two consists of Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 (Year SIx take their SATs in May 2006)

Each class has page - check them out soon!

Click below to go to the classes:-