Welcome to Foundation!
In Foundation we have 3 classes. The Red and Green apples are based on our Balderton site and the Oranges are based on the Fernwood site. Mrs Mitchell is Foundation Lead, usually working across both sites. At Fernwood the children are taught by Miss Whiles along with support staff Mrs Edkins and Mrs Wilson. At the Balderton site Miss Pope is teaching Red Apples, supported by Mrs Hall and Jess Amos. Mrs Mitchell is teaching the Green apples, supported by Mrs Hargreaves and Hannah Moor. Kate Driver also has a speech and language support role in the setting.
Curriculum, planning and assessment
Teaching and learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage at Chuter Ede begins with each and every child and what they already know and can do by themselves. We pay a great deal of attention to their interests and personalities, incorporating these in our planning.
In Foundation we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework supported by the development matters document alongside the birth to five matters document. This covers the 3 prime and 4 specific areas of learning: Personal Social and Emotional Development, Communication and Language, Physical Development, Literacy, Maths, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design.
All classes will follow the same phonics planning structure as taken from our scheme; DFE approved "Twinkl phonics". We also follow the same progression in maths with elements of "White Rose" and NCTM schemes combined. As a team of teachers we plan together weekly to ensure a balance of opportunities across classes, however, to enable us to continue a degree of child lead focus topics covered may vary slightly from class to class.
We know and appreciate that all children learn at different rates and in different ways. Much assessment of what children can do in the Early Years Foundation Stage is done through observation and as part of this attention is paid to each child's "Characteristics of learning", e.g. their creativity, persistence, etc.
Below are links to a few websites children may enjoy using to help them develop their phonics and reading skills online.