Foundation Stage 1
Welcome to Foundation Stage 1!
Welcome to Aston Lodge Nursery from Mrs Nurse, Mrs Wilkinson and Mrs Moore.
In Nursery we work hard to create a happy and safe environment that enables the children to become confident and independent learners.
We work together with you to ensure a smooth transition from home into Nursery. Parents are welcome at the start of all our sessions to complete an activity. This also gives us an opportunity to talk informally and work together to provide the best care and education for your child.
We plan an exciting and challenging curriculum based on our observations of children’s needs, interests, and stages of development. We plan for a balance of adult and child initiated experiences – all based on learning through play.
Our curriculum is based on the National Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum. Sessions are planned to ensure opportunities for development in the seven areas of development which are:
| Areas of Learning and Development | Aspect |
| Prime Areas | |
| Personal, Social and Emotional Development | Making relationships |
| Self-confidence and awareness | |
| Managing feelings and behaviour | |
| Physical Development | Moving and handling |
| Health and self-care | |
| Communication and Language | Listening and attention |
| Understanding | |
| Speaking | |
| Specific Areas | |
| Literacy | Reading |
| Writing | |
| Mathematics | Numbers |
| Shape, space and measures | |
| Understanding the World | People and communities |
| The world | |
| Technology | |
| Expressive Arts and Design | Exploring and using media and materials |
| Being imaginative |
As well as these areas of development, we look at the different ways in which children learn. The EYFS lays out the Characteristics of Effective Learning. When planning activities we aim to reflect the different ways in which children learn.
| Characteristics of Effective Learning | ||
| Playing and exploring – engagement | Active learning – motivation | Creating and thinking critically – thinking |
| Finding and exploring
Playing with what they know Being willing to have a go |
Being involved and concentrating
Keeping trying Enjoying achieving what they set out to do |
Having their own ideas
Making links Choosing ways to do things |
We want all our children to develop a love of books and we plan a lot of our work around stories. The children can chose a library book each week to take home and share with you.
Early phonics skills are taught through Phase One of Letters and Sounds which focuses on developing the children’s listening skills, vocabulary and speaking skills. In Phase 1 phonics, children are taught about:
- Environmental sounds
- Instrumental sounds
- Body percussion (e.g. clapping and stamping)
- Rhythm and rhyme
- Alliteration
- Voice sounds
- Oral blending and segmenting (e.g. hearing that d-o-g makes ‘dog’)
Typical activities for teaching Phase 1 phonics include listening walks, playing and identifying instruments, action songs, learning rhymes and playing games like I Spy.
Essentials
In Foundation Stage One we have moved away from topic based learning and have made the decision to plan around the children’s interests. We plan a lot of our work around stories the children have enjoyed reading.
We have put together an overview of things we do all year round to promote learning in all areas of the curriculum (Foundation Stage One Essentials).
We have also put together a list of books that we will cover over the year. Other books may be covered throughout the year and added to the list.
Latest News
Parent Views
Really happy with how well Harrison has settled into Nursery and how well Harrison’s development has come on. Harrison loves coming to school and has made lots of friends. Thank you so much to everyone for helping Harrison settle.
Harry has settled in really well and we have been so happy with his progress. We feel he is becoming more sociable and confident and is recognising letters and numbers more. He always speaks really positively about Nursery and his experiences.
Tahlia enjoys coming to Nursery and often asks if she is going on her days off! She has made some new friends and tells me they play together. Her name writing has been such a great skill for her to pick up. She shows me at home how to write her name.
Amity loves coming to school, she is always asking if she is going to school tomorrow. She has made so many friends and her confidence has grown. She acts out her day when she gets home, pretending to be the teacher doing carpet time. She loves reading stories and singing. She has learnt so much since starting here.
Ethan still loves ‘blue school’ as he calls it! He is always very excited when he gets up on days when he is coming. Ethan will talk about what he has been doing and about his friends. He seems to like that new children joined in January and we tell he is making new friends.
Kira-Grace has settled into Nursery really well. She loves coming to Nursery. She’s always telling me about her day in Nursery and the people she plays with. She has learnt so much while she has been in Nursery. I’m really proud of her.
Charley-Rose loves coming to Nursery. I think she is learning a lot and always comes home talking about what she has done in Nursery.
We are very proud of Jensen-James’ achievements, he is learning and progressing every day and is thriving with all the support given from all staff.
Layla loves coming to Nursery, she talks about which friends she has been playing with each day. She is always singing the songs she has been singing at Nursery.