Tools and useful advice

Please bear with us while we compile a good range on info for children and families who are learning English as an additional language.

We will be adding leaflets and letters from our correspondence so that you can use the translate button on the bottom right of the page to change the letters into your own home language

English as an Additional Language (EAL) – Support for schools and settings

USEFUL LETTERS – these are translatable using the button on the bottom right of this screen.

FAIRSHARE LETTER –

Dear Families

We are part of a scheme with Tesco and Aldi to ensure food does not get thrown away.  Each week we will take delivery of a quantity of food that Tesco and Aldi has passed to us to use for the children’s snack and to share with our families.

We often receive bread and bakery items as these have a shorter sell by date.  Occasionally we receive fruit, vegetables and some treat items.

• Could you benefit from receiving an extra bag of groceries each week?

• Do you have anyone else in your family that needs a little extra help?

• Could a grandparent, friend or neighbour benefit from this scheme?

This a discreet and confidential service.  A text message is sent when your grocery bag is ready for collection from our reception area any time during pre-school hours or at the same time that you collect your child.

If you are interested please reply to [email protected] with your name and the words ‘Fair Share’ if you would like to take part.

WELCOME LETTER

A Welcome Message from our Pre-School Leader

We would like to welcome you all to Cullompton Pre-School and to your journey with us over the next few terms! Your key person will be there for you for any questions, worries and happy moments you have to share. Your child will be cared for with kindness and nurtured to develop their potential. There are many opportunities to learn through play supported by inspiring staff.

Our aims are to safeguard every child in our setting, to provide a happy and fun environment filled with challenges for each age. Enthusiastic and experienced staff are here to talk to you every step of the way. We aim to wave goodbye when our little pre-schoolers head up to school with the knowledge that they have had a brilliant experience and leave us ready, able and willing to learn!

Please always talk to us about any worries, my door and every key person’s door is always open.

Amelia

What we do and why we are here

Children are born ready and eager to learn

This means that we provide positive relationships and enabling environments to support your child to learn and develop. If there are any concerns about development we support you and your child with the resources and knowledge that we have in partnership with outside agencies

We as practitioners understand and observe every child’s development.

We assess those observations, look at learning and progress and assess and plan for next steps – for every single child here. We have our next steps half termly with ideas for you to work on at home to support your child learning.

We keep your child safe

We identify any additional support

We value and respect all children and families equally

We use Development Matters and Birth to Five to support children’s learning and development and observe, then assess and then plan for each child.

We work in partnership with parents to support learning and assessment

We run adult led activities in 3 rooms supporting child led interests, areas set up for children to access such as dens, climbing frames and equipment, forest school, role play, outings, visits, drawings, painting, water and sand, clay, playdoh, interesting versions of playdoh, mini worlds that suit interests, puzzles, games, books, fine motor skills, outside games, team games, communication and listening games and circle time to focus on new skills.

We use the Characteristics of Effective Learning to observe your child and see how they are progressing through the 3 prime areas and the 4 subsequent specific areas – all working towards school readiness and in line with age and stage appropriate activities.

Our routine is available on our parent noticeboard and all policies are available as detailed in the pack

Key person system – We promote good relationships with your family and your key person. We ensure that we care for your child as an individual and that we meet those unique needs. Your key person helps you and your child to settle in and to become familiar with the setting and to offer a settled relationship and someone to talk to if you need to about any worries, happy moments or concerns.

Links for more information are in this pack and on our website and Facebook pages and available from the office

Other information you may wish to access:-

• Parents’ Guide to the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework – available through our pre-school website or a paper copy is available from the office.
• www.foundationyears.org.uk
• What to Expect When (Booklet) – This booklet is available to help parents/carers find out about how their child is learning and developing during their first five years, in relation to the EYFS.  This booklet has been written to help parents know what to expect during these vitally important years by focusing on the seven areas of learning and development which are covered in the EYFS.  To download a free copy go to: https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/2015/03/what-to-expect-when-a-parents-guide/.  Alternatively, we have copies available at pre-school to borrow.

FOREST SCHOOL LETTER

Dear Families,

 Forest School Sessions – September 2024

As part of the ‘School Starters’ experience we run a weekly programme of Forest School sessions on Thursday and Friday mornings throughout the year.  Your child will take part weekly and throughout the year with the Sun and Moon groups taking turns from September 2024.  The Star group will access the sessions during the year too.

What is Forest School? Forest school is a concept of outdoors education pioneered in Britain during the 1990s at Bridgwater Early Excellence Centre, which set up its own Forest school in nearby woodlands. Ideally children spend one day a week at a woodland site, learning about the natural world, how to use tools safely and make useful objects, developing their physical skills, working together as a team and learning to explore their world and their own limits in a safe way. Typical activities in the woods include shelter building, cooking over a campfire, making wooden mallets, nature detective walks, craft activities using natural materials and games like hide and seek!

At Cullompton Pre-School we use our own grounds which have been designed specifically to support our forest school sessions and we built an outdoor classroom to enhance our provision in 2021.

Who will lead Forest School? Our staff member Sophie Held is our Forest School Leader and will be running our Forest School sessions here at Cullompton Pre-school, along with a rotation of our other staff members. Sophie has a Level 3 qualification in Forest School.

What will my child gain from Forest School? The children gain a huge amount from their forest school experience. They are confident to try this new activity as we are lucky enough to offer it in our own familiar garden with familiar staff. It’s wonderful to hear them all talking about their fun morning, to smell woodsmoke and to see the lovely craft they make and to try the pancakes they make on the campfire. We see a significant increase in well-being, particularly in quiet, shy children and then how much more involved those children became in all aspects of pre-school. We believe that the outdoor environment increases their self-esteem, confidence, concentration, their enthusiasm for learning and we can see the benefits in all areas of their learning – Forest School fosters active learners and explorers, just what we all want for our children.

How can I find out more?

We have a Forest School section on our website and you are welcome to ask our staff members with any queries you might have.

You can find some more general information about Forest Schools on the websites below

www.foresteducation.org      www.forestschools.org

What should my child wear/bring?

We ask that your child is dressed appropriately for the weather on the day of Forest School as it will be held in all weathers, rain or shine!

In the colder months we ask that your child is wearing warm layered clothing and a winter coat please.

We provide wellies, thin waterproof trousers and coats to wear over their clothes. We also have winter hats and gloves the children can use.

As the children wear waterproof trousers over their normal clothes, we prefer if the children can wear trousers/leggings and not skirts/dresses please.

Please ensure your child has socks on to wear with the wellies we provide, if you are able to bring thick socks aswell that’s even better to keep their little feet warm!

In the warmer months, if it is dry then the children will go out in their normal clothes and shoes so please ensure these are suitable for Forest School.

If it has been raining and the ground is wet, then they may wear wellies with their normal clothes so please ensure they have socks to wear with the wellies.

When will Forest School be held?

Here is a timetable for Forest School for the Autumn Term –

The Star groups will also have chances to have Forest School during the year, we will let you know during the year when this happens.

I hope this answers most of your questions but please do not hesitate to speak to me if you have any further queries.

Mandy Goff

Administration Manager