EYFS Handbook
Table of Contents
Welcome from the Headteacher ....................................................................................................... 3 Welcome from the Head of EYFS and KS1....................................................................................... 4 Academic calendar 2017-2018 ........................................................................................................ 5 School hours .................................................................................................................................... 5 Arrival & departure procedures ........................................................................................................ 6 Security ............................................................................................................................................ 7 Extra Curricular Activities .................................................................................................................. 7 School uniform .................................................................................................................................. 7 What your Pre-nursery child will need for school: ............................................................................ 9 School Lunch .................................................................................................................................. 10 Behaviour ........................................................................................................................................ 10 Merit system .................................................................................................................................... 11 Attendance ..................................................................................................................................... 13 Health and first aid .......................................................................................................................... 13 Role of the parent ........................................................................................................................... 14 Home/School communication ......................................................................................................... 14 Home learning ................................................................................................................................. 16 Using English in school ................................................................................................................... 17 Additional information ..................................................................................................................... 18 In summary ...................................................................................................................................... 18
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Welcome from the Headteacher Dear Parents and Students, At BSN we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which is currently taught in all Foundation. This EYFS handbook will introduce you to the specific policies and procedures which will help you to support your child in quickly becoming integrated into their life at the British School of Navarra. Please take the time to read it through carefully and keep it on hand for future reference. It is widely accepted that it is within the Early Years that the foundations of a successful education are laid. We acknowledge the importance of this stage within BSN by adopting the best practice of the UK Early Years Foundation Stage framework to provide your children with the best possible introduction to their school life. I have been proud to see the development of this important stage of the school over the last few years and I am sure it will continue to go from strength to strength. As you would expect, the emphasis at this age is on learning through direct experience, with a focus on play-based activities and particular attention being given to children’s personal, social and emotional development to help them gain the confidence they need to become independent learners. The Foundation Stage classrooms are lively places, full of the joy of learning with children supported by class teachers, teaching assistants, carers and specialist teachers in Music, Spanish, and Sports to ensure that they are provided with the experiences to match the full range of their talents and abilities in a safe caring environment. I have no doubt that you will see your child grow in confidence and ability in our school where they can feel respected and can learn to respect others. Welcome to the Foundation Stage and to BSN. Yours sincerely, Mr James Batten Headteacher
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Welcome from the Head of EYFS and KS1 Dear Parents and Students, Welcome to the Foundation Stage at BSN At BSN we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage. The EYFS at BSN aims to provide planned activities and experiences which help children make progress in their development and learning. We aim to provide a well-planned and resourced curriculum to take each child’s learning forward and provide opportunities for all children to succeed in an atmosphere of care and respect. Throughout the day, planned opportunities for play are available to the children and they are given access to a wide range of materials to support their learning through exploration and interaction. Planned inputs are delivered daily through games, songs and rhymes, collaborative learning and circle times. The EYFS promotes a balance of adult-led and child-initiated learning experiences. Teachers and teaching assistants are trained to observe and reflect on the children’s independent learning in addition to the planned activities which are delivered by adults in small group and whole class sessions. At BSN, the Foundation stage incorporates Pre-Nursery (ages 2-3) Nursery (ages 3-4) and Reception (ages 4-5). The importance of personal, social and emotional growth is essential in the Foundation Stage and staff encourage children to begin to develop a sense of right and wrong, whilst fostering personal growth and independence. During the Reception year, the children will be gradually introduced to reading and writing through the teaching of phonics and reading and writing skills. At BSN, we follow the Read, Write, Inc. scheme for phonics which introduces the letter sounds and names in a fun and memorable way. The EYFS curriculum is based on the understanding that young children learn best through play and a play-based curriculum. The importance of real-life links to learning experiences is also fostered at BSN, where educational trips and realistic role-play areas embed rich learning experiences for the children and allow them to make connections between the classroom and real life scenarios. At BSN we understand the early years are the most important years in a child’s life. We strive to provide each child with the best start to their school life and a firm foundation from which to build from in Key Stage One and beyond. I hope the following information gives you an insight into the EYFS at BSN. I am very much looking forward to working with you and your children. Miss Rachel Mauloni Head of Foundation and KS1
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Academic calendar 2017-2018 Autumn term Friday Sept 1 – Mon Sep 4 – Wed Nov 1 – Mon Dec 4 – Mon Nov 6 –
Meet the Teacher Consultations Fri Oct 31 8 weeks Fri Nov 3 Half term break Fri Dec 8 Winter break Fri Dec 22 6 weeks
Spring term Mon Jan 8 – Tue Feb 20 Wed Feb 21 – Fri Feb 23 Mon Feb 26 – Wed Mar 28
6 weeks Half term break 4 weeks
Summer term Mon Apr 9 – Wed May 30 Thur May 31 – Fri June 1 Mon June 4 – Fri June 29
8 weeks Half term break 4 weeks
Please note: The last day of each term will be a noon finish
School hours Pre-Nursery and Nursery 08:30 – 08:45 Children arrive to class (08:45 at the latest) 08:45 – 09:00 Registration and circle time 09:00 – 10:00 Morning session 10:00 – 10:20 Snack 10:20 – 10:40 Play time 10:40 – 11:50 Middle session 11:50 – 14:00 Lunch and Siesta 14:00 – 14:20 Pack up beds and prepare for play time 14:20 – 14:40 Play Time 14:40 – 15:00 Snack 15:00 – 16:00 Afternoon session 16:00 – 16:20 Story, discussion and prepare to go home. Reception 08:30 – 08:45 08:45 – 09:00 09:00 – 10:00 10:00 – 10:20 10:20 – 10:50 10:50 – 11:50 11:50 – 13:00 13:00 – 13:45 13:45 – 14:20 14:20 – 14:40 14:40 – 15:40
Children arrive to class (08:45 at the latest) Registration and circle time Morning session 1 Snack and play time Morning session 2 Morning session 3 Lunch and playtime Middle session 1 Middle session 2 Snack and Play Time Afternoon session 1
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15:40 – 16:10 Afternoon session 2 16:10 – 16:20 Story, discussion and prepare to go home. Circle time is used to welcome and register the students, it boots interpersonal skills, strengthens relationships and enhances self-confidence. It is essential that students arrive at their classrooms for the beginning of circle time so that they can begin the day with their classmates and teachers and, of course, are properly registered. Please understand that teachers will not be available to meet with parents once their circle time sessions begin.
Arrival & departure procedures It is essential that our youngest students be supervised at all times for their security and safety. Therefore, we request that students should not arrive to classrooms before 8:30 am. This is to ensure that teachers have sufficient planning, meeting and preparation time at the beginning of the school day. All students should, however, be in class ready for registration at 8:45 am at the latest. It will help the morning routine enormously if parents support us in promoting independence with students of all ages (even Nursery age) when changing shoes and hanging up coats, etc. If a brief chat with the teacher is needed at drop-off time, please ensure that you do this before 8:45am, when registration will begin. Please ensure that you or your designated guardian collects your child from a member of staff on the school patio. Please collect your child at 4:20 pm. On the last day of each term, school finishes at 12:00 noon. If, for some reason, you have been delayed, please telephone the school so that we are aware and can inform your child so as to avoid any unnecessary anxiety. If you are unable to collect your child, please inform the school at the earliest possible time as to who will be collecting your child. For security reasons, teachers will not release a child to an unauthorised person. Please be aware that teachers/assistant teachers need to hand your child over to you; please assist this process by ensuring your teacher is aware you have received your child.
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Security All visitors entering the school are required to sign in and out. We believe our students are very safe during the day and with your assistance believe we can continue our high standard of security. It is essential that we have an accurate record of who is authorised to collect your child. We will not release a child to the custody of a different adult unless we have received notification from the child’s parent. If you need to collect your child during the school day please ensure that you inform your class teacher in advance. Parents will need to report to the reception desk and the receptionist will collect your child from their appropriate classroom. Parents should provide the school with at least two contact telephone numbers in case of emergencies. It is vital that you inform the school of any changes to these contact numbers.
Extra-Curricular Activities As an extension to your child’s education we offer an Extra Curricular Activities (ECA) programme to children from Pre-Nursery upwards. ECAs include a variety of exciting activities for example, Dance, Music & Movement, Arts & crafts, ICT, Sports and Games.
School uniform School uniform is compulsory for all students attending the school. We believe that wearing school uniform in a proud and smart manner promotes positive self-esteem and, therefore, is integral to the ethos of the school. All students are expected to arrive at school every day in uniform, worn in
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a tidy manner. We expect our students to take pride in their school uniform. All students are expected to wear PE uniform on PE days. You will be informed about these days at the beginning of the academic year. The Headteacher will give guidance regarding the dates when summer and winter uniforms are to be worn, according to the seasonal weather conditions. Summer uniform will be required at the beginning of the year. Below is the set uniform for EYFS children:
Other Items The correct socks and shoes complete the school uniform (see above). Therefore, black leather shoes must be worn every day except PE days when proper trainers should be worn. Trainers should be black, white or dark blue without colourful markings or labels. We believe that the children benefit a great deal from playing outside and enjoying fresh air whenever possible, even in winter. We always make every effort that they are dressed appropriately to go outside. It is therefore extremely important that your son or daughter has the appropriate clothes to go outside. Use of coats, snow pants, hats, gloves etc. are encouraged during cold and rainy days. Sun hats are recommended for sunny days. As well as the black leather shoes or trainers on PE days, students will always need a pair of outdoor shoes to change into for playtimes. We appreciate your support in ensuring that weather appropriate garments are provided. With young children we do understand that accidents sometimes happen. We ask parents to provide a spare change of clothes, to include socks, shoes and underwear that should be kept in your child’s bag in school.
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For safety reasons the wearing of earrings (except studs), or other jewellery (metal or plastic) must not be permitted during sporting activities, PE or swimming. They represent potential hazards to all participants. Medical, professional and occupational safety advice confirms that they should be avoided at all times. We encourage independence in our students from the first day of school. This does mean at times that items can go temporarily missing. With this in mind, please label all items of school uniform with your child’s name and class. As part of the school routine, the children in the Pre-Nursery and Nursery classes will have the opportunity to nap for about one hour each afternoon. The children will need a small blanket (not duvet) and pillow in a cotton bag or pillowcase, all labelled with the child’s full name which will be sent home with their allocated bed sheet every Friday for washing. General Appearance Students should not wear necklaces, bracelets or earrings to school (except for stud earrings). Hair should be worn in a neat style. We consider mohicans, tramlines and bright colours are not considered appropriate hairstyles for school. If a student attends school with a hairstyle that is deemed inappropriate the Headmaster will inform the parents and request a more suitable style. Furthermore, a student may be required to wear hair tied back and/or to remove jewellery if it is deemed hazardous to an activity.
What your Pre-Nursery child will need for school: Water bottles: • • • • • •
Each student will be asked to bring their own re-useable water bottle to school The bottle should be individual and never shared with others It should be clearly labeled with the name and class of the student The bottle will be returned home at the end of each day to be washed Only water should be contained in the bottles - no juice, carbonated or flavoured drinks Water dispensers will be available at school for refills whenever required
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Nursery and Reception: Water Cups: • • • •
Each student will be provided with a re-usable drinking cup The cup will be used by individual children and never shared with others The cups are washed each day in the kitchen dishwasher Children are able to fill their cups to drink water as needed
Prohibited Items It is school policy not to bring the following items to school: • Sharp or pointed instruments (e.g. scissors) • Chewing gum and sweets • Toys or games unless at the request of a teacher
School Lunch A hot and nutritious lunch is served to all children in school (except half-day Pre-Nursery children who wish to leave before lunch). School lunches are paid for in advance along with tuition fees. If you have not already informed the school that your child has dietary restrictions (whether for health, religious or allergy reasons), please do so immediately. We will inform the catering company and special arrangements will be made to provide proper suitable alternatives. EYFS children eat first, and are served directly at their table. As snacks are provided in EYFS there is no need to send in a snack for school (only from Year 1 upwards). Occasionally, families send in a sponge cake to celebrate a birthday or a small bag of crisps or small item to hand out to their friends. Please avoid sending in bags of sweets. Also, please note that, due to existing serious allergies present within the school, snacks with nuts must be avoided. BSN is a nut-free zone.
Behaviour From an early age we encourage students to develop a sense of responsibility, self-respect and a respect for other people, property and the environment. We ask our EYFS students to take care of their friends, classroom and the toys and resources within it. It is essential for parents and school to work in partnership so that the values encouraged by home and school are mutually reinforced. The following is not an exhaustive set of objectives, but outlines the key expectations we have of students: • Treat everyone with respect and courtesy • Behave in a way that aids learning during lessons • Walk at all times when indoors • Walk on the left in corridors and staircases • Hold doors open for others
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• • • • • • •
Remove coats, jackets and hats during lessons and at lunch Make sure that classrooms and playgrounds are kept clean and tidy; litter should be placed in bins Greet the teacher and guests in the school Speak and listen in turn Always look after school resources and ensure that furniture and resources are tidy at the end of lessons Do not leave the classroom without the teacher’s permission From Reception age, students are responsible for clearing trays and plates after break and lunch
We encourage all students to act as positive citizens and bullying will not be tolerated at our school.
Merit system On entry to the school, each student will be allocated a ‘House’; members of the same family being
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placed in the same house. We always seek a balance of male and female students in each one. The house names and colours are as follows:
The whole school is involved in the merit system and each teacher and assistant teacher will be part of a house. The students earn house points for individual awards relating to their progress and efforts in all aspects of school life. Beyond this each week the total house point scores are collected and ‘Mr Softy White’ the bear wears the appropriate colour for a week. A house point shield is awarded to the winning team annually at speech day. Certificates in EYFS At BSN, we believe that great efforts should be rewarded and recognised. With this in mind, we have a house point system designed to encourage high standards and positive action from our students throughout the year. House points therefore, will only be awarded when students do their very best. During the year, students will be awarded house points for excellent work, effort, progress and good citizenship. Teachers award points to each student when deserved and it is the responsibility of the student to enter his/her house points on the chart displayed in the class. This can be a coloured sticker or a tick alongside a name. There will be no negative actions such as minus house points. Certificates will be awarded in class to successful students. Certificates are organised in the following way with the aim being to achieve Diamond by the end of the year. 25 Bronze 50 Silver 100 Gold 150 Platinum 200 Diamond In addition to House Point certificates, once a week a child or children are selected as the ‘Star of the Week’. Certificates are awarded by class, Spanish and Music teachers.
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Attendance Regular daily attendance is essential for even the youngest students. They learn a great deal every day. We ask that parents ensure that parents support attendance at school wherever possible and avoid any absences. Parents who are aware of such future absences should inform the class teacher/tutor and seek permission as far in advance as possible. If students do not make the progress required to enter the next year group due to poor attendance, the student may need to repeat the year. In summary, please get your child to school every day if possible - it will really help them enjoy school and make great progress. Absence Through Sickness While regular daily attendance is important, sometimes absence is unavoidable through sickness. Please inform the school if your child is unable to attend school for health reasons. Please telephone as early as possible after 8:00am and leave a message for the class teacher/tutor. In order for us to ensure the health and safety of your child, please advise us of any medical problems they may have when there is an allergy to materials or food. Please ensure that the health questionnaire has been completed. If your child becomes unwell and the class teacher/tutor feels that they may not be well enough to participate in lessons, the student will be referred to the first aide officer on site. After further observation, if the student is clearly not well enough to return to class, you may be telephoned to collect your child. Please ensure that school always has updated contact phone numbers.
Health and first aid Many of our staff are first-aiders who can deal with day-to-day matters such as cuts or bruises, and students who feel unwell whilst at school. In the unlikely event of a more serious accident, emer-
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gency services will be called to the school and parents will be telephoned immediately. In consultation with parents, transportation will be organised to the hospital. Medicine For Students Academic staff are prohibited from giving any medication to students whilst on site. If medication is required, parents or guardians must complete a form in reception and the medication will be issued with the instructions provided.
Role of the parent At BSN we acknowledge the importance of involving our parents in their child’s education and we encourage the support of parents throughout the school. Parents are often invited to support class performances, activities, open days and curriculum days in order to be involved in school life as much as possible. Each tutor group will elect a parent class representative who will act as a liaison with the class teacher/tutor for such events. In addition to your role within school we also encourage your support with your child’s learning at home. The enjoyment and knowledge that young children get from books is invaluable at this age and we encourage parents to read with their child as often as possible at home. At BSN we consider homework to be an excellent way to review or reinforce work taught in school rather than a way to extend learning. Other opportunities to get involved at British School of Navarra To be involved in school life as much as possible parents are invited to take part in the following activities: • • • •
Helping with class trips Supporting class performances and other activities International week celebration Book Fairs
Please get in touch if you would like to offer some of your spare time in school. We would love to have your input.
Home/School communication At BSN we greatly value working in partnership with parents and guardians to ensure the very best for your children. As part of this, we place a strong emphasis on opening up many avenues of communication between parents and teachers. Please take the time to read the following to help you understand the different ways that we can share information with each other. Daily Communication: •
Parent Portal. Most communication from the school is provided via the online Parent Portal. Therefore, it is essential that all parents review all of the information on the Portal regularly. Not only will information from key staff members be presented there but also important calendar events that we would hate you to miss.
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Email. Critical/individual communication can also be maintained by email, though we ask you to do this selectively and concisely so that email communication remains manageable for teachers and they can focus on their classroom work. The class teacher would be the first point of contact on most issues. When appropriate, they will refer any important issues to the Senior Leadership Team. If you wish advice on administrative aspects of school our admin team are always happy to help.
Weekly: •
Weekly Blurb. Teachers will inform you of learning experiences that took place during the week and upcoming events via the weekly ‘blurb’ that is completed on Fridays and posted on the Parent Portal.
Half termly: •
School news will be published on the school website after significant events. Parents and prospective parents may view the news articles and photos from various phases within the school. The news items will vary from phase to phase.
Termly: • • • •
School newsletter will be published on the Portal and the school website every term. It includes articles from staff and students and photos celebrating what the children have done throughout this period. Curriculum Letters. At the beginning of each term, a curriculum letter is sent out to inform parents of the topics and objectives that will be taught in the coming term. School Reports. Each term you will receive a written report on your child’s progress and attainment. Parent Teacher Consultations. These take place 3 times a year and give you the opportunity to talk one-to-one with the teacher about your child’s progress, development and targets.
Additional Information and Correspondence during the Year: •
• • •
Meet the Teacher. During the third week of Term 1, a ‘Meet The Teacher’ evening will be held, during which time parents will be invited to visit the classroom of their son or daughter and gain an insight into their new class and teaching staff. It is also an opportunity for the teachers to share important information about class procedures and expectations. Class Timetable. This timetable indicates which activity your child is doing at what time during the week. News. We have regular updates of school activities provided by the news coordinator on each site via newsletter, website and postings. Face to face. Class teachers/tutors are happy to discuss concerns you may have about your son or daughter but are unable to do so during teaching time. Any small issue that can be discussed briefly at drop off or pick up time, must be completed outside of lesson time.
Teachers will gladly arrange for you to make an appointment (with class teachers) to discuss any important topics that you wish to raise.
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In order to maintain consistent lines of communication, we ask that you ensure that your contact details including mobile phones and email addresses remain regularly updated with the school office. Student Work and Portfolios Parents will have regular opportunities each term to see the work being achieved by the students as part of the parent teacher consultations. Portfolios will be collated throughout the year and shared at these meetings. All student books will normally be sent home at the end of the year (with the exception of examples required for inspection or display purposes).
Home learning It is very important that school and home work together to develop a love of learning in our students. It helps enormously if work done at home is completed at a regular time and under the best conditions in order for the child to enjoy learning. Teachers are happy to give guidelines so that the support given at home mirrors what is learnt by your child in school. Important information gets sent home every Friday (blurb/weekly news). This will help you to understand what topics are being covered in school. Parents will be invited to a ‘Phonics For Parents’ evening at the beginning of the academic year. This will help parents to understand how we teach young children to read and write at BSN. Pre-Nursery and Nursery In Pre-Nursery and Nursery, home learning would simply involve supporting us by promoting independence at home (e.g. encouraging/teaching your child to take off and put on their own shoes and coat and eating by themselves, etc). Parents can involve themselves and their child at home in the topics being learnt in school. This helps to reinforce what is being taught and students can get a fuller learning experience.
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Reception In Reception, parents should reinforce letter sounds, blending and listen to their child read. Initially phonetic word lists to be ‘sounded out’ with children will be sent home. Later, ‘Tricky Words’ will be introduced and exposure to these words at home will really help children to feel confident when reading. It is always good to get children to make predictions about the story, answer open-ended questions and even write about what they enjoyed about the book. Counting objects, identifying shapes, using mathematical language (e.g. more, less, rectangle, add, subtract) and learning number bonds by heart to 10 (e.g. 7+3=10, 8+2=10, 5+5=10) will all help your child in class. General Home Learning For EYFS Students • Encourage independence • Share books together and discuss them • Using their fine motor skills (building up the muscles in the fingers by writing, colouring, cutting, squeezing and threading etc.) Please ensure the correct finger/scissor grip is reinforced at home • Ask a lot of questions (get students thinking) • Get students physically active and playing alongside others • Do jigsaw puzzles and encourage them to solve their own problems As ‘home learning’ in the EYFS is not as structured as with older students, it can often be considered less important. However, please remember that these are the foundation years on which everything else is built and, therefore, the most important.
Using English in school Bilingualism is an asset to the pupil and the school, and this is reflected in the way we approach the use of language in school. English is the first language of the school and we should encourage it to be used as much as possible. It is the one common language that all pupils will share and therefore has the capacity to unite all pupils. It is not forbidden for children to use their native language in the EYFS classroom, however our graduation towards exclusive of use of English in the classroom and on the playground grows with the age of the children and their English language proficiency. Very young children and those new to English, may use their native language when necessary but move gradually towards more and more English. When determining use of native language in school, the age and capability of children is key and all staff will take a common sense approach. Pupils are not reprimanded or sanctioned for using their mother tongue. Instead, they are positively encouraged to use English wherever possible.
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Additional information Assessments are continually made throughout your child’s education to ensure they are progressing at expected levels and are suitably challenged and supported. Work samples are collected to help document each child’s progress and we have ‘Excellence Books’ that celebrate achievements. Cultural awareness is promoted throughout the year. We celebrate International Week as well as sing songs, enjoy various festivals and of course recognise the range of cultures represented in our classes. Time is given for expression through art, music, dance and drama. During International Week, each class studies a different country and learns about traditions, cultures, foods and much more. At the end of the week, classes then share with one another information about their country; they also get to dress in clothes that represent their own or another country.
In summary We hope that this handbook provides an informative introduction to the school. Of course not every piece of information will be here and if you should need any further guidance, please feel free to contact the appropriate member of the school for further advice. We look forward to working with you this year.
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Avenida Juan Pablo II, 1 31004 Pamplona Navarra Spain
(+34) 948-242-826 www.bsn.org.es
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