Linthwaite Ardron CE (VA) Junior and Infant School

How can you help prepare your child for school?

Here are just a few ideas for how you can help your child prepare for school. We’re sure you are doing lots of these already, and have lots more ideas that you could add!

• Share books and stories.
• Go to the public library and share a range of books (don’t forget to take part in the Summer reading challenge at the library).
• Teach your child nursery rhymes.
• Play turn-taking games such as snakes and ladders; make sure your child learns how to win and lose as well.
• Have play opportunities with other children, especially over the summer holidays.
• Talk about numbers and teach your child to count objects accurately; you could involve your child in helping around the house by counting out the bowls or spoons needed to lay the table, counting steps up and down the stairs, look at house numbers or numbers on cars or buses as you go for a walk.
• Talk about mathematical concepts such as: taller, shorter, heavier, lighter, full, half full, empty, less than, more than, higher, lower. Let your child handle money and learn to recognise coins.
• Talk about shapes and colours.
• Encourage your child to dress and undress themselves, including using buttons and zips.
• Ensure your child can manage using the toilet by themselves, including washing their hands afterwards.

Behaviour for Learning

We believe that the most effective and efficient learning is achieved in a happy, calm and caring community. In order to develop and foster such an atmosphere we aim to be positive and consistent in all our relationships.We aim to:

• make the right choices
• always try our best
• be kind and considerate

• take care of our school
• we are always safe and sensible
• have fun together

The school has developed a Behaviour Policy, which embodies our aims to encourage, praise and promote good behaviour. 

We believe it is essential that children understand their role in keeping a disciplined and orderly learning environment in school and as such the learner values and school expectations are shared and discussed with children so that they understand what is expected of them.

The values which the pupils and staff recognise as underpinning school life are:

• Support
• Help
• Inspire
• Nurture
• Encourage

Our School Expectations form part of our Behaviour Policy. From time to time some children may become involved in incidents of poor behaviour where a school expectation is broken. All staff endeavour to take a positive approach to dealing with such incidents and aim to develop the child’s understanding of the mistake they have made and how it can be put right or avoided in the future.

Further information can be found in our school Behaviour Policy, available on the school website and from the school office.

Supporting your child with their learning

Parents always ask what they can do to help support their child with learning at home – the answer is lots!

Most importantly, we ask all parents to read with their children as often as possible. This includes reading stories to your child as this helps them to develop a love of reading and good story language, and it also develops their understanding. Children who love stories, and who are able to talk about and retell stories, have a brilliant starting place when it comes to writing. Reading also includes listening to your child read to you. Little and often is the key – children who read regularly at home for just 5-10 minutes a day, especially in the early years, grow in their confidence as readers. We encourage all parents to set aside some time each day in a comfortable quiet space, when distractions are minimised, to enjoy reading together. If you would like any advice or support with reading we are always happy to help.

In the Autumn term we will hold reading and phonics workshops for parents, to give you hints and top tips in how you can support your child with their learning at home.

We also hold ‘stay and play’ sessions throughout the year, a chance for parents to come and play alongside their child in the classroom.

Later in the school year we will send home other learning activities, such as number games, handwriting activities or words to learn to read.

If you have any questions about how you can support your child there will be opportunities at our Parents Evenings to discuss this, and you can always have a word with your child’s class teacher about this.

The Early Years Curriculum

Young children learn best through play, trying things out, experimenting and talking. The Early Years Curriculum is an individualised, play-based curriculum which allows the adults to observe and find out about children’s interests and what they are able to do independently across a broad range of areas. Teachers then use this information to plan for the children’s next steps in learning and development.

The adult’s role is to provide a stimulating environment and opportunities that will move children’s learning on, and to teach children the new skills and knowledge that they need so that they progress in all areas of their development and learning.

Children will spend some time each day in Early Years learning through play, where they can direct their own learning and practice what they have learnt in the focused teacher sessions. There will also be focused daily teaching of maths and phonics, and children will put their phonics into practice during reading and writing sessions.

Stories form a vital part of the curriculum and these stories often go on to inspire the learning in class during the week. Talk is also very important and we build in regular  opportunities for children to talk and share their ideas and problem solve with others in the school day.
In addition to this, children take part in PE sessions. 

Phonics

 At Linthwaite Ardron School, early reading is taught using synthetic phonics as the main approach to reading. find out more about our phonics approach by following the links below:

Phonics at Linthwaite Ardron

Open Door

We have an open door policy in school, meaning that teachers are available for a quick word in the mornings and at the end of the day after they have seen the children to their responsible adult.

We encourage parents to discuss any questions or concerns that they may have about their child with their class teacher. If you need to speak with the class teacher in greater depth you can make an appointment to speak with them directly or through the school office.

Mrs Travis, Headteacher, is also available to meet with you, and again you can arrange to do so via the school office.

Attendance

It is very important that children attend school everyday so that they can make good progress in their learning. It is very tricky for children when they miss days and need to try to catch up with their learning. As a school we really believe that every day counts and we do lots to encourage and reward good attendance.

If your child is unwell and, as a result, will be absent from school it is your responsibility to ring the school office that morning to inform us of the reason for absence every morning of illness. Please also send a letter into school with your child, on their return to school, outlining the reason.