Our dedicated Early Years Educators work with the local schools to ensure a smooth transition for all of our ‘Rabbit’ leavers. We go on visits with the children to their allocated schools and invite their teachers in to the setting.

For children with additional needs, we plan for individual visits to their allocated school with their key person.

We work particularly closely with ‘Hall Orchard Primary School’. We take the children on group pre-visits to explore the school and have lunch in the school hall during the summer term before the children leave playgroup.

The year before your child is due to start school, they are placed in our ‘Rabbits’ group at playgroup. The ‘Rabbits’ key workers are Miriam and Bethany. The ‘Rabbits’ have enhanced structure to their daily routine in preparing them for school readiness.

Routine

  • 9.15-9.45 – Arrive, self-registration, group time
  • 9.45-11.30 – Free play, outdoor play, snack bar
  • 11.30 – Adult led group time, story
  • 12.15- Lunch
  • 3.00 – Adult led group time, story time
When the children arrive at playgroup, they go straight through to the carpet room. They are encouraged to hang their coats and bags on to a peg, and then they find their name for self-registration.

The children choose a coloured shape mat on the floor and sit in a circle and wait for group time. Once the register has been done, the children do the daily calendar together. We discuss the day of the week, month, year, season and the weather forecast for the day. We then take turns each day to count how many ‘Rabbits’ are in for the session using the ‘counting wand’.

It is then free play. At snack time the children are asked to wash their own hands, and then find their drink and take a plate/bowl and choose a place to sit at the table. This process is repeated for lunch time, except with the children finding their own lunchbox and they are encouraged to open their own wrappers and dispose of their waste themselves.

At 11.30am the ‘Rabbits’ separate from the younger children and come again in to the carpet room for structured group time. They then have a story and find their own coat and bag and prepare for home time.

Partnership with parents

We appreciate any feedback from parents and carers during the year. We like to know if your child has a particular like/interest at home that we can support at playgroup. We are always happy to support with positive behaviour management and we like to hear about your child’s celebrations at home, or any specific goals that we can support you with.

Phonics – letter of the week

Each week we focus on learning one letter sound, visually recognising the letter, learning the sound and being able to name things beginning with the sound. This is demonstrated and reinforced through games, activities and occasional worksheets. Name recognition Using a board with all of the children’s names on, each morning the children select their own name for self-registration. They look for their own artwork with their name on it at home time. We learn by sound and visually recognising their first initial with lots of different types of media.

Number work

Number work is supported in all aspects of play, however particular focus is taken with the Rabbits to learn to recognise numerals of importance to them, and beyond according to the child’s ability. This is done with number hunts, games, puzzles and challenges Writing We work hard with the children to get the fundamentals needed for writing, strengthening hand and finger muscles, correct pencil grip etc. Then according to personal ability, the children are encouraged to try forming letters of significance. For example, the starting letter of their name. This may be with a pencil on paper, writing in the sand, using paintbrushes and water, mark making tools in shaving foam and many other activities. As the children are ready we help and support them in learning to write their name, and other letters and words.

Health and self-care

The children are encouraged to become independent in putting on and taking off coats, bags etc and finding a peg to hang them on. At lunchtimes they seat themselves and are helped with learning to open packets etc independently. As it gets closer to end of term we do fun games involved the children putting on and taking off school jumpers and shoes, and using trays to collect food, just as they would be expected to at school. When your child displays signs of being ready to toilet train, we support the children in becoming confident in using the toilet by themselves. This includes pulling up their own trousers/pants etc, wiping themselves clean and washing their hands. We support each of the children with their toileting routine in preparation for starting school.

Mental health, managing and expressing emotions

Children’s experiences over the pandemic will be different. At playgroup we aim to support healthy relationships and managing and expressing our feelings and emotions. We nurture the children’s independence and coping skills until they feel safe and secure at playgroup. We focus on supporting each of our children emotionally and we discuss our feelings, emotions, wants and needs, particularly focusing on appropriate ways to express ourselves.