EARLY YEARS SCHOOL PROSPECTUS

Welcome to the Early Years School stage of your child’s education. We hope that your child will find it a happy,
enjoyable and stimulating experience. Please read this Early Years School Prospectus in conjunction with the General
Prospectus, which gives an overview and general information regarding the whole School.

In the Early Years School we have two Nursery classes, two Pre-Reception classes, three Reception classes and three
Year 1 classes.

We aim to help children in their physical, intellectual, emotional and social development through play, within a secure
and caring environment. By providing facilities to meet every child’s needs, we hope that they will grow in self-
confidence, gain independence, learn new skills, and enjoy meeting other students and adults.

We ensure that your child receives a great deal of individual attention at this early and very important stage. Each
class has a qualified Teacher and a full-time Learning Support Assistant (LSA).

Communication and Language development is given a high priority at this stage. We also place great emphasis on
providing equal opportunities for all our students. We aim to promote an understanding environment which builds
positive attitudes towards differences. In this way the students will begin to appreciate the diversity of the world in
which they live.

CURRICULUM FOR NURSERY, PRE-RECEPTION AND RECEPTION CLASSES

In the Nursery, Pre-Reception and Reception classes, it probably will not seem like learning – most children see it as
just fun and play. However, as they get to grips with speaking and listening, singing and dancing, stories and counting,
they will be gaining all the basic skills necessary for a successful start to their continued education in Year 1.

Effective learning involves: Children feeling safe, secure, valued, and able to trust the practitioners who work
with them.

Effective teaching requires: Practitioners who act as positive role models through what they say and do.

Your child will experience varied learning concepts. We endeavour to meet each child’s physical, emotional, social
and intellectual needs. All the areas of learning are developed through planned and structured activities that are
meaningful to your child. Children spend the majority of their time with their Class Teacher and Learning Support
Assistants, but they may also be taught by different teachers for certain subjects.

The provision for children’s development in the Nursery, Pre-Reception and Reception classes is an integrated
approach of learning and care.

Reading and writing are developed through the Jolly Phonics method. All activities are planned to provide structured,
meaningful play which help children make progress in each of the areas of learning and development.

Homework is gradually introduced in Pre-Reception and extended by the Reception classes, where homework is given
twice a week – one piece of Literacy and one piece of Numeracy. In Reception classes the children are also asked to
practise their reading daily.

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Learning through play

Play helps young children to learn and develop through doing and talking, which research has shown to be the means
by which young children learn to think. We always make sure that there is a wide variety and balance of activities
available to the children. These include:

 Sand and water.

 Playdough, salt dough or clay.
 Activities that encourage imaginative play such as dressing up clothes and construction toys.
 Creative activities such as drawing, painting and model making.
 Activities that help develop fine manipulative skills and coordination.

WHAT ARE OUR GOALS IN THE NURSERY, PRE-RECEPTION AND RECEPTION CLASSES?

There are 7 areas of learning:

 Personal, Social and Emotional Development

 Physical Development
 Communication and Language
 Literacy
 Mathematics
 Understanding the World
 Expressive Arts and Design

For each area there are goals describing the expected level of progress, in terms of what children should know and be
able to do by the end of their Reception year.

1. Personal, Social and Emotional Development

We aim to:

 Help the children to make friends and to work and play cooperatively with other children and adults.
 Help the children to develop confidence in themselves and their own abilities by encouraging them to try, to
concentrate, to persevere, to make decisions for themselves and to do as much for themselves as possible.
They are encouraged to help each other, but also to ask for adult help when needed. Both effort and
achievement are praised.
 Encourage independence and good habits in personal hygiene, e.g. washing hands after using the toilet, and
encourage independence in dressing, by showing children how to manage their shoes and clothes themselves,
but giving help when necessary.
 Encourage sensitivity to the needs and feelings of others, and encourage positive attitudes towards other
cultures.
 Promote interest in and respect for the environment, and each other.

2. Literacy

READING SKILLS - the children are helped to:

 Appreciate and understand books.

 Understand that pictures and words convey meaning.
 Understand that words read from left to right, starting at the top of the page.
 Learn the names and sounds of letters, starting with the letters in their own name.
 Understand that there are both upper and lower case letters which have different uses.
 Understand that some words are formed phonetically, whereas others need to be remembered as whole words.
 Learn to read familiar words.

WRITING SKILLS - the children are helped to learn:

 Correct letter formation, starting with their name, and using upper and lower case letters as appropriate.
 How to write other familiar words.
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 We work towards independent writing, helping each child to do as much as they are capable of and are ready
for.

3. Communication and Language

The children are helped to:

 Talk about their own experiences to other children and adults, individually, and to small and large groups.
 Respond to stories, rhymes and poems.
 Participate in role play – making up their own stories, and taking part confidently in imaginative play.
LISTENING SKILLS - the children are encouraged to:

 Listen to and participate in stories, songs, rhymes and poems.

 Listen to others in small and large groups.
 Listen to and carry out instructions.

4. Mathematical Development

Mathematics is mainly of a practical nature but work is recorded if appropriate. The children will:

 Learn number rhymes and songs.

 Participate in counting activities and games.
 Explore mathematical concepts through stories.
 Match, sort and compare, i.e. look for similarities and differences in pictures and objects, and categorise
according to common characteristics.
 Use correct mathematical language to describe shape, position, size and quantity.
 Order and sequence, e.g. patterns, numbers and days of the week.
 Work toward recognising, understanding and using number from 1 to 10.
 Work towards writing numbers from 1 to 10.
 Become familiar with larger numbers used in everyday life.
 Work towards developing awareness of number operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and
division, using the correct language involved and recording work if appropriate.
 Use mathematical understanding to solve everyday problems.

5. Understanding the World

Appropriate topics are used to help children develop knowledge and understanding of their environment, and
to provide a foundation for historical, geographical, scientific and technological learning.

6. Physical Development

We help the children to develop their fine motor skills by:

 Providing opportunities for and encouraging the correct and safe handling of appropriate equipment and
materials with increasing control, e.g. pencils, scissors, brushes, glue, paint, sand, water, playdough and clay.

We help the children to develop their gross motor skills by:

 Encouraging them to move confidently and imaginatively, with increased control and coordination, and
development of spatial awareness.
 Encouraging them to use small and large equipment, and balancing and climbing apparatus, with increasing
skill, whilst considering their own safety and the safety of others.
 Providing opportunities for them to enjoy movement and musical activities.

We help the children to:

 Learn about their own health and self-care.

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 7. Expressive Arts and Design

The children are provided with:

 Opportunities to use and develop their creative skills through art and craft, music, movement, stories and
imaginative play.
 A wide range of tools and materials in order to allow them to express their ideas.

Modern Greek

Modern Greek lessons begin in the Reception classes, where the focus is on fun activities involving songs and games.

Extra English Lessons

There are opportunities for additional lessons in English for those who are non-native English speakers. This is
particularly helpful for children who are in the early stages of learning the English language.

THE YEAR 1 CURRICULUM

Building on the previous learning in the Nursery, Pre-Reception and Reception classes, children progress to Year 1,
where the 2014 National Curriculum for England (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum) is
followed:

1. English

Students are given many opportunities to use language skills in a variety of ways. These include:

SPEAKING AND LISTENING

 Class/group discussions.
 Listening to audio.
 Role play/drama.
 Collaborative work.
 Stories and poems.
 Following instructions.

READING

 Structured reading programme.

 Reading extension materials.
 Quiet reading times.
 Shared and guided reading activities.
 Study skills.
 Reading for pleasure.

WRITING

 Writing for a variety of purposes.

 Usage of punctuation/grammar.
 Writing for a variety of audiences.
 Development of drafting/editing skills.
 Use of literacy software.

SPELLING

 Use of dictionaries and word banks.

 Structured spelling programme.

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 HANDWRITING

 Study of letter formation and joining.

 Attention to presentation.

2. Mathematics

Students are given many opportunities to acquire mathematical concepts and skills and apply these in practical
situations, e.g.:

 Number work including calculations.

 Problem solving.
 Shape and space.
 Using and applying maths.
 Measures.
 Data handling.

A variety of published schemes are used, and these are supplemented with enrichment materials which aim to
extend the child’s understanding throughout areas of the curriculum.

3. Science

Science is an integral part of our curriculum. It stimulates and excites students’ curiosity about phenomena
and events in the world around them. Emphasis is placed on developing and evaluating explanations through
experimental evidence and modelling. The School has a wide range of resources to enable Science to be
delivered through practical activities and the use of the outdoor environment. The range of science topics
covers the many aspects of natural and physical science as promoted by the National Curriculum.

4. Modern Greek

Formal lessons in Modern Greek commence in Year 1, where students join one of four groups according to
ability. There will be opportunities to change groups at a later stage if appropriate. Our aims in teaching
children a modern foreign language include:

 Increasing linguistic competence through regular timetabled sessions.

 Exploiting cultural links and experiences when opportunities arise.
 Promoting positive attitudes towards language learning through a range of learning activities.
 Developing listening skills and phonological awareness.

5. Design and Technology

The development of Design and Technology capability is important in preparing all students for citizenship in
an ever-increasing technological world. The ability to use technological skills is a vital life skill in modern
society. Using these skills in a purposeful way provides the opportunity to extend and enhance teaching and
learning experiences in the National Curriculum as a whole.

In Design and Technology, students acquire and apply knowledge and understanding of materials and
components, including food, textiles, resistant and mouldable materials, mechanisms and control systems,
structures, quality issues and factors relating to health and safety. The students will:

 Develop their designing and making skills.

 Develop knowledge and understanding.
 Develop their capability to create products through combining their designing and making skills with
knowledge and understanding.
 Nurture creativity and innovation through designing and making.
 Explore values about and attitudes to the made world and how we live and work within it.
 Develop an understanding of technological processes, products and their manufacture and their contribution to
our society.

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6. Information and Communication Technology

ICT is one of the core subjects in the National Curriculum and is given a high profile as a key life skill. The
interactive whiteboards facilitate whole class interaction with a wide range of software. In classrooms,
students have access to PCs, the internet and the curriculum network, and teachers are able to access lesson
resources using interactive whiteboards.

7. Geography

All students will be given the opportunity to:

 Develop a positive attitude to Geography.

 Learn to use geographical skills and knowledge confidently through a process of enquiry and pleasurable
creative activity.
 Develop interest in their surroundings and in the variety of physical and human conditions on the Earth's
surface.
 Foster their sense of wonder at the beauty of the world around them.
 Develop an informed concern about the quality of the environment and the future of the human habitat, in
order to enhance their sense of responsibility for care of the earth, and its peoples.

8. History

History fires students’ curiosity about the past in the UK and the wider world. Within our curriculum it plays
an important role in helping students to:

 Develop a framework of chronology.

 Interpret past events and attitudes.
 Find evidence, evaluate it, and reach their own conclusions.
 Undertake research, sift through evidence and argue their point.

9. Music

Our work in this area of the curriculum encourages students to enjoy music through:

 Performing.
 Listening.
 Composing.
 Developing musical knowledge and understanding.

Students with musical ability have the opportunity of learning to play instruments after school hours. There is
a charge for these lessons, which are paid for on a termly basis.

10. Art

We aim to provide opportunities for students to learn skills and express themselves in a variety of media and
forms, such as:

 Painting.
 Model making.
 Printing.
 Drawing and sketching.
 Use of fabric.
Artistic creativity is included in most aspects of the curriculum, and visual displays throughout the Primary
School stimulate interest and enjoyment. Students investigate a range of media and the work of particular
artists.

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 11. Physical Education and Sport

A variety of physical activities are offered to students throughout the Primary School, and we aim to give a
balance of experience. This includes:

 Gymnastics.
 Movement and Dance.
 Athletics.
 Games.

All students are expected to take part in these activities unless excluded for medical reasons.

We aim to give all the students the opportunity to take part in sporting activities within the school day and
through extracurricular activities, which are encouraged. In lessons, our youngest students are taught basic
skills such as catching, throwing and kicking. These and other skills are developed throughout the Early Years
School and Primary School so that all can participate to the best of their ability in our sporting programme.
Students play football, netball, tag rugby, rounders, hockey and cricket. After-school sporting clubs including
football, cricket and basketball are run by staff and coaches.

Sporting teams represent our school in cricket, football, tag rugby and netball. Fixtures are arranged against
other local schools and our teams have scored many notable successes.

12. Extra English Lessons

There are opportunities for additional lessons in English for those who are non-native English speakers. This
is particularly helpful for children who are in the early stages of learning the English language. Please refer to
the ‘Common Questions’ section above, which explains the options for English as an Additional Language
(EAL) classes and the Anglia Examinations in English.

HOMEWORK IN YEAR 1

As a guideline, 20 minutes per day should be spent on homework in Year 1.

Most of the homework in Year 1 will involve Reading and Spelling, and we urge you to help your children by
listening to them read. It is also very beneficial if you read to them on a regular basis. A Reading Diary will be sent
home regularly along with a Reading Book which should be returned to school each day in a folder. Please also help
children learn their spellings using the Look (at the word), Say (the word out loud), Cover (the word up), Write (the
word from memory), Check (to see if it is correct) method. This should be repeated until the word is known.

SCHOOL HOURS AND SECURITY

Our aim is to make the Early Years School welcoming and open, but at the same time a safe and secure place for
everyone. We would like to remind all parents/guardians that the school door will be opened from 7:40 a.m. and not
before, as our teaching day begins at 7:50 a.m. We kindly ask that parents/guardians stay with their children until this
time. On arrival at school, please park and then to ensure the safety of all children, please take them to the relevant
meeting point with their teachers as follows: Nursery students should be taken to their classroom and handed over to
their Class Teacher or Assistant (do not leave your children at the door). Pre-Reception students should be delivered to
their teachers via the outside doors of their classroom, not through the building. Reception and Year 1 students should
meet the duty teacher in the playground and line up with their school bags when instructed. The school day ends
promptly at 1:20 p.m. It is the policy of The Heritage Private School that no student may leave the premises with
anyone other than a known family member, unless a written or telephone message is received by the School Office. If
you know that you are going to be late picking up your child, please telephone the School.

ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES: EDUCATIONAL VISITS

The Early Years School arranges a programme of educational visits to places of interest on a regular basis. We hire
coaches for transportation to and from such activities. There is always an educational aspect to such visits, although
we also try to make them an enjoyable and social experience as well. We try to maximise the cross-curricular links
and use every opportunity to combine different parts of the curriculum in one experience.

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CLUBS FOR RECEPTION AND YEAR 1 CHILDREN

A range of clubs are available for Reception and Year 1 children and these take place after school between 1.20 p.m.
and 2.20 p.m. They are optional, but children should attend only the clubs offered in the Early Years School building.

WAYS YOU CAN HELP YOUR CHILD AND US

 If your child is still in nappies, please provide nappies, a box of baby wipes and any creams or powder you
wish to be used on your child, each labelled with your child’s name.

 In the Nursery and Pre-Reception years, please ensure that your child’s school bag contains a spare set of
clothes in case of accidents. This must include socks and underwear.

 Clearly label your child’s clothing and footwear.

 Collect your child yourself or notify staff if someone else is collecting him or her. Your child should always
be brought and collected by an adult.

 Collect your child promptly or telephone us if there is any difficulty, so we can reassure your child if you are
late.

 If you need to collect your child before the weekly Assembly, please ensure that you do so before 12:20 p.m.
as later collections unsettle the other students who are attending Assembly. It would be appreciated if at the
end of Assembly, parents/guardians remain where they are until children have returned to their classrooms.

BEHAVIOUR IN THE EARLY YEARS SCHOOL

We expect the children to behave in a sensible manner, and to show kindness and consideration towards others. Any
behaviour that may cause harm to themselves or others, or upset another person, is unacceptable.

We help the children to learn by our own example, and by praising and encouraging good behaviour. We try to avoid
behaviour problems by being well organised and well prepared, by keeping the children happily and purposefully
occupied, and by ensuring that they are adequately supervised at all times.

If an undesirable incident occurs we quietly discuss this with the child/children involved, explaining why their action
is unacceptable and discuss with them how they can modify their behaviour. They are then usually allowed to continue
with their activity.

If the unacceptable behaviour is then repeated (e.g. throwing sand) their action would be discussed with them again in
a similar manner, but this time they would not be allowed to return to that activity. An alternative would be selected
for them where they would be closely supervised.

Minor incidents that occur (e.g. snatching a toy from another child) are not usually reported to the child’s parents or
guardians, as it is normal for children to display some behaviour that needs correcting. Learning about acceptable
behaviour outside their home is one of the reasons that children attend school. However, repeated bad behaviour, or a
serious incident, such as deliberately hurting another person, would be discussed with the parents or guardians.

UNIFORM

Please see the attached uniform policy for the Early Years School students. Children will be required to wear PE kit to
school on PE day. All Early Years School students require a plastic apron for creative activities, which will be sent
home regularly to be washed.

BOOKS, EQUIPMENT AND STATIONERY

All textbooks, workbooks and exercise books are provided by the School for children in the Nursery, Pre-Reception
and Reception classes.

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For children in in the Reception classes and in Year 1, please could you provide the following items:

 Pencils  Pencil sharpener

 Coloured pencils  Scissors
 Eraser  Glue
 Ruler  Two plastic wallets, one for English and one for Greek

We also ask that all school bags are small and lightweight.

SNACKS

All children are asked to bring a snack to school, which is eaten during first break time (10.00 - 10.20 a.m.). As we
promote healthy eating, we ask you not to send sweets, chocolate, fizzy drinks etc. For the younger children, please
ensure that their snack is cut into small, manageable pieces and contains a variety of exciting nibbles. Any snack not
finished will be returned home to enable you to see how much food your child has eaten.

A drink or two should be included (no glass containers, please), and there are water cooler machines available for
extra water. If you send a plastic bottle of water, this can be refilled at the School’s water cooler machines, but please
label the bottle with your child’s name and class.

PARENT HELPERS

The Early Years School is always keen to accept parent volunteers who may wish to assist with reading groups, in
classes other than their own child’s. Please inform the School Office of availability times, if you would like to help.

COMMON QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE EARLY YEARS SCHOOL

How can I make sure my child settles in?

Our Early Years School is designed to be a warm and friendly place with a homelike environment. We are conscious
of the importance of a happy, smooth transition from home to school and close liaison between parents/guardians and
teachers is encouraged at all times. We would be happy for you and your child to visit us before starting at the Early
Years School. When your child starts school, please take time to settle them in. Some children settle almost straight
away, others take longer, but all children need someone they know well to be with them when they take such a big
step. In the Nursery class, we suggest you stay with your child on the first day, and then leave them for a longer time
each day until they are happy to stay for the whole session on their own. Please keep one whole week free to settle
your child in.

Will the curriculum and goals put pressure on my child?

No, for most of the time, particularly in the Nursery, Pre-Reception and Reception classes, the 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 under supervision.

What if my child does not speak English?

Many children who join the Early Years School may have a home language other than English. We try to provide
opportunities for English to be learned in context, through practical, meaningful experience and interaction with
others. Your child may spend a long time listening before they speak English and will often be able to understand
much of what they hear, particularly where communication through gesture, sign, facial expression and using signal
support is encouraged, as it is at The Heritage Private School.

In addition, The Heritage Private School is an Examination Centre for Anglia Examinations England. The Anglia
Examinations in the English language take place in January and June each year. The aim of these examinations is to
motivate students to learn and master English within and beyond the classroom. Anglia’s progressive, step-by-step
approach to testing encourages and motivates students to make clear and effective progress as they work through the
levels. As with many other language testing systems, the Anglia examinations measure all four language skills:
listening, reading, writing and speaking.

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 There are no minimum age requirements for the Anglia English examinations, and at
the Heritage, lessons for Early Years School students will be able to be taken either in
the school day through English as an Additional Language (EAL) classes, or in very
small groups after school from 1:20 p.m. to 2:20 p.m. as part of the Heritage Private
Institute, entering at the level of study their teacher considers appropriate. Those who
do not ultimately take one of the formal Anglia examinations will instead be presented
with a Heritage certificate of attendance.

What about assessing progress in the Early Years School?

When your child very first starts school, an individual tracker profile is established, which will provide a continuous,
up-to-date assessment of your child’s progress throughout the Early Years School. It is not a formal test, but carried
out through daily observations and activities, such as sharing a book together, so they will not even be aware they are
being assessed. It is not something you or your child should worry about.

What else can I do at home to make sure my child gets a good start to their education?

Your contribution to your child’s education is invaluable, and by working in partnership with you we can provide all
our children with the best possible start to their education. Talking about the things that your child brings home from
school, and displaying their work at home, will help to reinforce what has been taught, and will also show them that
you value what they have done. Encouraging them to ask questions, to listen to others and to try out new skills, all
help support the learning process. Reading stories to your child and helping them to learn nursery rhymes is
particularly helpful. Your interest and encouragement will help them to adopt a positive attitude towards school as
well as good learning habits for the future.

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EARLY YEARS SCHOOL UNIFORM POLICY

For items of uniform supplied by the School Shop, no substitute uniform is allowed. No mixing of summer/winter uniform or PE kit is allowed.

SUMMER UNIFORM WINTER UNIFORM

 School dark grey pinafore dress
 School summer checked dress
 School ivory long-sleeved polo top
GIRLS:  White ankle socks
 Grey or black thick tights or long white socks
 Black shoes (no sandals, trainers and shoes resembling trainers)
 Black shoes (no boots, trainers and shoes resembling trainers)
NURSERY  School dark grey shorts  School dark grey trousers
AND  School ivory polo shirt  School ivory long-sleeved polo top
BOYS:
PRE-  White or grey socks  White or grey socks
RECEPTION  Black shoes (no sandals, trainers and shoes resembling trainers)  Black shoes (no boots, trainers and shoes resembling trainers)
 School T-shirt with school burgundy PE shorts (students should
own at least two sets of school T-shirts and shorts)  School tracksuit, worn over school T-shirt
PE:
 Protective PE-quality predominantly white trainers  Protective PE-quality predominantly white trainers
 Summer cap
 School dark grey pinafore with school unisex checked shirt
 School blazer (to be worn at all times)
 School summer checked dress
 School burgundy jumper (as an extra layer when feeling cold)
GIRLS:  White ankle socks
 School elasticated tie
 Black shoes (no sandals, trainers and shoes resembling trainers)
 Black or burgundy thick tights or long white socks
 Black shoes (no boots, trainers and shoes resembling trainers)
RECEPTION  School dark grey trousers with school unisex checked shirt
 School dark grey shorts
AND  School blazer (to be worn at all times)
 School ivory Polo shirt
YEAR 1 BOYS:  School burgundy jumper (as an extra layer when feeling cold)
 Grey or white socks
 School elasticated tie
 Black shoes (no sandals, trainers and shoes resembling trainers)
 Black shoes (no boots, trainers and shoes resembling trainers)
 School T-shirt with school burgundy PE shorts (students should
own at least two sets of school T-shirts and shorts)  School tracksuit, worn over school T-shirt
PE:
 Protective PE-quality predominantly white trainers  Protective PE-quality predominantly white trainers
 Summer cap

Jewellery must not be worn, with the exception of wristwatches, medical bracelets, and a pair of stud earrings by girls who have pierced ears (one earring only in each ear
lobe). Religious symbols should not be visible.

All students are expected to be properly dressed and groomed and adhere to the Uniform Policy and all other relevant regulations in full.
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