Lift Cottingley

Early Years Intent

In our early years we ensure that the curriculum offered is inclusive and comprises of rich learning experiences that support children’s holistic development, improves their communication skills and increases their vocabulary. At Lift Cottingley we provide a nurturing, safe, and stimulating environment where young children can develop essential skills, setting a solid foundation for lifelong learning and well-being. Our Nursery and Reception children learn and develop through child-initiated and free flow play. Teachers support children’s learning and development by planning a range of topic based activities, which are delivered through whole class, one-to-one and small group sessions.

Early Years Curriculum

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The EYFS Framework explains how and what your child will be learning to support their development.

They will be learning new skills, acquiring new knowledge and demonstrating their understanding through 7 areas of learning and development.

Communication and language;
Physical development;
Personal, social and emotional development;
Literacy;
Mathematics;
Understanding the world; and
Expressive arts and design.

These 7 areas are used to plan your child’s learning and activities which are suited to your individual unique needs. We follow the Development Matters which provides guidance for the early years foundation stage.

Reception Ready - How to Prepare Your Child

Reception New Parents Welcome Meeting Presentation

BBC Starting Primary School

Check this page every fortnight for new ideas and suggestions on how you can start to prepare your child for their new adventure! We will aim to post one new idea every two weeks to build up gradually, but here are three that you can get started with now.

1) Teach your child to get dressed and undressed by themselves - this is hard work but will help massively for things like getting ready to access outdoor provision and getting changed for PE. Things children usually struggle with when they first start school are zips, buttons and hook and eye clasps on trousers - if you can teach your child to do these things then they will be set!

2) Encourage your child to start using cutlery correctly and independently. This will be helpful when they start to eat lunches in the dining room.

3) Sing simple nursery rhymes together. The patterned language and sentence structure will really help your child's development at this stage (as well as being lots of fun!). Rhymes you could try include:

Twinkle Twinkle
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Little Bo Peep
Three Blind Mice

4. Can you practice writing your child's name together with them? You could use pencils, crayons, felt tips, your finger (write it in the air), write it in the bubbles in your bath...the possibilities are endless.

5. Please encourage your child to help you tidy up. This will help them get ready to work together once they join us in reception. It could be simple things like putting away their toys or even helping you tidy up after teatime. You could use an online timer to speed them up https://www.online-stopwatch.com/classroom-timers/

6. Your child's new teachers have started to send you videos of storytime. Please watch these with your child and talk about the story.

What did they like about the story?
Who was their favourite character?
How did the book make them feel?

You can find more storytimes on you tube or on cbeebies bedtime stories.

7. Can you play turn taking games? Board games are a great way to do this as children have to wait for their turn and work together.

8. Please count with your child. This could be as simple as counting how many steps they have climbed up, how many grapes they are eating etc.

9. Encourage children to take part in activities that will improve their fine motor skills. Here are some wonderful ideas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD86MGSBd8w

Reception Parent Feedback

"My son Zephaniah enjoys being in reception a lot! He looks forward to going to school every morning, because the teachers are dedicated, helpful, patient, and kind. In addition to this they make a lot of effort to create positive relationships with the children. This has helped Zephaniah develop a lot of confidence at home and at school. He is enthusiastic about school and the classrooms are learner friendly. Thank you Mrs Blades for being a fantastic teacher. " Reception parent, March 2020

"Aleyah has loved being in reception she has made lots of new friends and her confidence in her reading and writing has come on so much! She loves spending time with Miss Watson. Aleyah can't wait to get back to school as she is missing everyone ." Reception parent, March 2020

“You wouldn’t believe how amazing the school looks inside when you just drive past it.” Reception parent, March 2020

“Millie has loved coming to school in reception and in nursery. She loves all the different things that she and the other children do inside the classroom. I am proud of how far she has come and love all the work she has done and the pictures she brings home. The teachers have been good to us both. Whenever I ask about anything they have helped me. Thank you Mrs Blades and Miss Watson.” Reception parent, March 2020

“Ben's had a really good time in reception. This is the first school where he's walked in and been completely settled. He's taken to the class and Miss Watson straight away which has massively improved his confidence around education and learning.” Reception parent, March 2020

“Noel loves his reception class! He loves reading and getting a new book every week. He also loves spending time in the water, sand and outside area. Noel has made lots of friends and enjoys playing with all the children. His teachers are helping him to improve his social skills.” Reception parent, March 2020

"Henley has come so far since being in reception, Miss Watson has helped us so much and without that help we wouldn't have got through this year. Henley struggles a lot but he's never made to do anything, they say 'he will do it when he's ready' and he has now learnt to write his name! x Thank you Miss Watson, (The staff always have smiles on their faces too and welcome every child in each morning!) x" Reception parent, March 2020

"Maddison was really nervous to start reception - very shy at first - but now Maddison loves going to school every day to her teacher who she has an amazing bond with and her friends. She has come on in leaps and bounds!" Reception parent, March 2020

"Adam is very pleased and happy to go to school. He has made great progress in counting and reading I am very proud and happy of him!" Reception parent, March 2020

"I am glad that during this difficult period we were given the opportunity to try home schooling in such a fun way. I am happy that I can spend such a productive day with my children. I would never come up with something like that by myself. We will try to improve every day. Thank you very much. "

Year 1 parent, March 2020

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Parent FAQs

Do the children need to bring a snack to school?
Do you have a breakfast club?
What is expected of me as a parent and will I ever be able to come into school?
We encourage parents to take an active role in the child’s school life. This will include; reading at home, attending parent workshops (where possible), attending parents evening, keeping school up to date with any changes in circumstance and most importantly making sure your child is prepared for the school day e.g. having a good sleep, eating a healthy breakfast. If you find you need any help, or even just someone to talk to at any time, please remember to call our Child and Family support worker / Parent Support Advisor. They are always available (dial extension 2) for a chat and can help with all kinds of things (or at least find someone who can help if they can’t!).
During the first two terms of school you are normally encouraged to come into school with your child every morning and speak to your child’s class teacher. At the moment we encourage you to do this on the gate - if you need a longer conversation please let us know and we will arrange this. As we move into the Summer Term we begin to encourage children to come into school more independently and start to prepare for life in Year 1. As well as this, we usually have half-termly workshops where you can come in and work alongside your child. These workshops cover a range of activities from story-telling to crafts, baking to maths - they also give you a chance to look at your child's learning books.
Will my child go on school trips?
What sort of things will my child be doing at school and will they go outside?
The school day usually starts at 8:40 and finishes at 3:25 Monday to Thursday. On a Friday school finishes at 1:25. Under the current circumstances start and finish times are staggered. Please stick to your allocated slot. During the school day children will have a phonics lesson with a member of the Early Years team, complete some small group maths/writing activities, have an opportunity to play outside and also be given plenty of time to explore the indoor areas of learning.
We are very lucky with our outside space - our facilities are fantastic and if you haven’t been to see them we encourage you to do so- please call to book an appointment! Your child will be able to go outside whatever the weather. We ask parents to make sure that children are sent with suitable clothing to allow this to happen. As well as playtimes outside children will go outside for small group activities and also for free choosing time.
Who will be working with my child?
Where will my child have dinner (and what will they have)?
Your child will usually eat their dinner in the main dining hall however at the moment they will eat in the classroom. The EarlyYears children eat at a slightly earlier time than the older children in school. They will be supported by a member of the Early Years team but will also be encouraged to build their independence. If they are having a school dinner they will choose from 4 options in the morning these include; meat option, vegetarian option, sandwich option and jacket potato option. The menu runs on a 3 week cycle and your child's class teacher will happily give you a copy of this so that you can see what your child has had to eat / help them to choose.
How is reading/writing/maths taught?
In Reception we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and tailor our teaching to supporting the individual needs of each pupil. Teachers read one-to-one with every child, every week. We also teach phonics daily following the Read Write Inc scheme. We offer a reading workshop for parents to attend at the start of each year to enable parents to support their children with reading and writing at home and supplement this with our half-termly workshops. We teach maths in small groups. After all of our short inputs for writing / maths we have lots of activities, both inside and out, for the children to practise their new skills in different contexts and work with the adults in the spaces to extend and embed their learning even further.
What equipment will my child need to bring to school and can they bring toys?
- A book bag (provided free of charge)
- A water bottle (provided free of charge)
- A drawstring bag containing their PE kit (school bags available to buy from the office)
- A pair of named wellington boots in a bag to be kept on your child’s peg is a good idea
- Hat, gloves and scarf (for the winter months)
- Sun hat / sunscreen / sunglasses (a form will be sent home for signing re suncream)
We know your child may want to bring a toy in from home however, to prevent things getting lost or broken in school, it is better for these to stay at home where they are safe. If your child wants to bring something in to show the class - a special artifact, photograph, project etc - we are always happy for this to happen but please pass directly to the teacher so that they can be stored safely until the right time.
What should I do if my child is ill and what if my child needs medicine during the school day?
Please telephone the school office as soon as you can. Our voicemail service runs 24/7 so if you cannot speak to anyone directly then please leave a message. Please note that following a case of diarrhea or sickness your child is not permitted to return to school until they are clear of symptoms for 48 hours.
We do not accept medicines at the classroom door. You will need to fill in a form which is available at the school office - please walk round and someone will be happy to help. We are only able to administer current medicines prescribed by a doctor and clearly labelled with your child’s name.
If your child needs an inhaler, please provide one that can be kept in school. You will be asked to fill in a form so that your child can be added to our asthma register.
What if I need to collect my child early for an appointment / we are late coming in to school one morning?
Please inform the office if you need to collect your child from school early for an appointment - wherever possible we ask to see an appointment card / letter. On the day of the appointment please go to the office and someone will collect your child for you.
If you are late for school one morning you will need to come to the school office - rather than your usual gate - as your child will need to be marked as present on the register. They will then be taken to class by the office staff.
What is the routine on arrival?
Arrival time is usually 8:40am but due to the current circumstances you will be allocated your own time slot to limit congestion on and around school grounds. There is a member of staff at the gate waiting to welcome all of the children and parents on entry. Your child hangs his /her coat up in the cloakroom. You are usually encouraged to stay on a morning to help settle your child and help them to complete their morning tasks such as choosing their lunch however at this moment in time this is not possible. When it is time, the teacher will ask the adults to leave and the children will come and sit on the carpet ready for registration.