Foundation Stage
Welcome to our Foundation Stage! We are a friendly, caring and enthusiastic team who work hard to make sure that your child has a positive experience at the beginning of their school life. Our curriculum content is based around children’s needs and interests, their stages of development and themes that we have identified as being important building blocks in their knowledge and understanding of the world around them.
The curriculum is underpinned by the seven areas of learning and is designed to enable children to achieve their potential and reach the Early Learning Goals. The seven areas of learning all carry equal importance. They include the three Prime Areas:
Communication and Language
Physical Development
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
The Prime Areas are a crucial part of early development; they play an important role in encouraging children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning and they are designed to support children as they learn to form relationships, moderate their emotions and develop their independence.
The remaining four areas are the Specific Areas of Learning and they include:
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts and Design
These areas include the essential skills and knowledge that children will need as they continue their journey through school.
Bearing all this in mind, our curriculum is designed to:
Provide children with hands-on learning experiences that engage and inspire
Ensure that our children are confident communicators capable of building strong relationships based on a foundation of Restorative Practice
Encourage a lifelong love of reading
Develop each individual according to their strengths, needs and interests
Enable children to develop the maths and literacy skills they need to access the KS1 curriculum.
Our teaching is supported by the non-statutory guidance ‘Development Matters’, and ‘Little Wandle Letters and Sounds’ is our phonics and early reading validated scheme.
Children learn best through play and we ensure that they have dedicated, uninterrupted opportunities to do this. They are supported by staff who observe and engage with the children’s play in order to move their learning on.
Outdoor Learning is another important part of the curriculum. Children have daily opportunities to spend time outside, where they can investigate the world around them and engage in play that is bigger, louder and messier than inside play. It is many children’s favourite part of the day!
We firmly believe that teaching is a partnership and we welcome your support and feedback. We are always happy to talk and answer any questions you may have.
We admit children from the term after their 3rd birthday into our FS1 class, Red Base. They move to FS2 in the September after their 4th birthday. We have space for 60 children in our two FS2 classes – Blue Base and Green Base.
Please contact the school office on 01482 353125 or Mrs Wellington (Assistant Headteacher and EYFS Leader) at nicola.wellington@hcat.org.uk if you have any further questions.
Information for parents
Leaders have designed and implemented an ambitious and well-planned curriculum.
Classrooms are calm and purposeful places for pupils to learn.
Pupils take books home which contain the sounds that they are learning in class. This gives them plenty of practice.
Pupils are proud to be part of the Wheeler family.
Parents say that the school is ‘fantastic’ and that staff ‘greet the children come hail, rain or shine’ every morning as they arrive.
Leaders are passionate about preparing pupils to be good citizens for the world beyond Wheeler Primary School
The leader’s vision for the school is demonstrated in the way pupils behave
The support that leaders provide for families is a strength of the school.
Being at Wheeler is like being part of a family and that makes learning fun
They want pupils to ‘Be Respectful, Responsible and Resilient in Learning and Life’
Pupils are encouraged to develop a positive attitude towards themselves and others.
Everyone cares for each other and that every teacher adds a little bit of fun into every lesson
The pastoral team works well together to ensure that pupils are safe.
Pupils enjoy coming to Wheeler Primary School every day.
Throughout my time at Wheeler, I have been given so many opportunities to experience and learn new things
The staff are really encouraging. They always help us to be the best we can be
Pupils in key stage 2 talk confidently about a wide range of authors and texts they have read.
There are
opportunities for pupils to attend different clubs and raise funds for charities
Leaders and teachers have high expectations for every child.
It is a safe and happy place to learn.
Pupils report that bullying is rare, but if it happens, staff will sort it out quickly and fairly.
Leaders give pupils the opportunity to complete well-planned and exciting
activities, such as performing in front of an audience, in order to create a ‘bag’ full of life experiences as they progress through the school. .
I think the best thing about being a Wheeler pupil is that all of the staff listen and care about you
Pupils are excited about adding experiences to their ‘Bag for Life’.
The best thing is having someone to go to when you’re upset
The school has made recent changes to the teaching
of phonics to help pupils get off to the best start with their reading.
The teachers are so supportive they help and guide you all the way through the year