TIMETABLE
Please download our timetable to see what the children will be learning!
RISING STARS
Rising Stars is our name for children who are in their final year at Pre-School, before moving onto Infant School
LUNCH TIME
PRAYER
Thank you for the world so sweet
Thank you for the food we eat
Thank you for the birds that sing
Thank you God for everything
RISING STARS
DAYS OF THE WEEK SONG
Days of the week (clap, clap)
Days of the week (clap, clap)
Days of the week, Days of the Week , Days of the week (clap, clap)
There's Sunday and there's Monday
There's Tuesday and there's Wednesday
There's Thursday and there's Friday
And then there's Saturday too
Days of the week etc
To the tune of 'The Adam's Family'
SCHOOL READINESS
PACEY (the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years) has published its research report, Being School Ready, which considers what the term “school ready” means for childcare professionals, parents and primary school teachers.
After months of research with childcare professionals, teachers, parents and children, we found that:
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Childcare professionals, parents and teachers interpret the term “school ready” in a way that is in stark contrast to that often stated by policy makers and regulators in England, and in a way that is more reflective of the approach taking by policy makers in Wales.
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For a child to be considered school ready, respondents stated that cognitive and academic skills such as reading and writing are not as important as children being confident, independent and curious.
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Teachers and childcare professionals (58% and 40% respectively) both stated that they felt there needed to be greater emphasis on play in England.
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Almost half of all respondents – childcare professionals, parents and teachers alike – identified a lack of communication and common expectation between each other as a barrier to preparing a child for school.
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Respondents agreed that being school ready is about more than just the child being ready for school – schools need to be ready for children too.
HELPING YOUR CHILD PREPARE FOR SCHOOL
There are lots of things you can practise with your child to make sure they are ready when the big day comes. If you can do this over the summer, in a gentle and fun way, it will make the transition to big school all that little bit easier for them.
Even if you know they can manage these practical considerations perfectly well already, it will help your child emotionally to know the ropes and have gone over things a few times. Here are some of the things you can practice in advance:
SELF CARE
Show your child how to tell the left shoe from the right and practice putting them on and taking them off. Avoid shoes with laces for your teacher's sanity. Even if your child can do their own laces, they will constantly unravel. Somehow even double bows don't survive the school day. If your child has new, proper big-school shoes, wear them in over the summer so you don't get to day two or three and find your child won't wear the shoes because "they hurt"
Practice getting dressed and undressed into school uniform. For a start it's a chance to make sure it all fits. But mainly, it helps smooth PE lessons, and provides the added bonus of easier mornings. Even if you are happy to help in the mornings, your child will need to get dressed for PE lessons with maybe just two adults for 30 little ones.
Explain to your child that their clothes are labelled with their name so they can be sure which jumper/skirt/t-shirt is theirs. There's bound to be the odd mix-up from time to time, but it's worth pointing this out to your child so they can start to take ownership for their own possessions when mum's not around to do this for them!
Can your child go to the toilet unaided? Practice this during the holidays, ensuring you allow enough time for them to practice pulling up tights, doing up buttons etc. Schools usually encourage children to all go to the toilet at certain times of the day but they will also be able to ask the teacher.
When leaving for school in the morning try and ensure that your child has been to the toilet at home so that they are not crossing their legs by the time they reach the school playground!
THE END OF THE DAY
Do make sure you're a little early to collect your child at the end of the first few days - even a few minutes late can seem an eternity to a waiting child. Your child will probably be tired and hungry so a healthy snack and some quiet time, with or without you, will be just what they need after school.
Make listening to your child a priority. They'll probably talk about their day in their own time so avoid pressing your child, but do give them opportunities to talk to you.
LUNCH
During the holidays have a few practice packed-lunch days. Pack a lunch as you will for school. Make it more fun by having it in the garden or park perhaps. Talk about how your child should eat their sandwich and chopped veg or whatever first before eating any cake/biscuit/treat you have put in.
Make sure they can handle their drinks bottle/carton and that they are able to open their lunch box easily. Show them what to do with any left-overs. Ideally suggest they wrap them back up and put them back in the lunchbox - that way you can see what they are eating or not eating.
Some lunch ladies can be quite strict about children eating up everything they've brought so just bear that in mind when thinking of popping in an extra sandwich "just in case". The same with crusts...if your child really won't eat crusts then save them from the lunch-lady by cutting them off!
If your child has school dinners, practice that instead...get them to come up to you in the kitchen and collect their lunch on a little tray and practice carrying it over to the table.
ROUTINE
It is really important to get to know what is expected of you and your child before they start school, so that you don’t tell your child one thing and the school says another.
Find out about the daily routine from the teacher and let your child know what to expect. For example, many schools start with reading on the mat, the daily register and so on. Knowing what's coming next will help your child make sense of their day.
Tell stories about what you enjoyed at school and the fun things you did.
Read some positive books about starting school.
If your child is in holiday routine - staying up late and rising late - then one week before term begins change their schedule. Gradually bring their bedtime back to a time suitable for school nights and introduce more regular eating habits with meals at set times.
AND FINALLY...
If you are feeling anxious at the end of an area of Pre-School and toddler groups and fun things with just the two of you.
REMEMBER that you have lots to look forward to such as their first assembly, Christmas play, sports day and lots more!!! Enjoy every moment along with your child!
FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS
Letting children know how you want them to behave at school in a positive way is really helpful, such as “Sharing the toys and listening to the teacher,” rather than what you don’t want such as, “Don’t go fighting and don’t be naughty”, Explaining as much as you think they will understand helps them to be well prepared.
Your feelings will guide your child's emotions. If you approach your child's first day with confidence, using positive words about school, it will help to reduce their anxieties they may be feeling.
Saying goodbye at school may be very emotional for you. But try to send your child off with a smile and a wave along with the reassurance that you'll be there to collect them later.
