We have one Nursery class, Bishy Barney Bees, offering morning and afternoon sessions and two Reception classes. Children in Nursery and Reception follow the Foundation Curriculum which covers children’s development in these areas:
The prime areas are:
- Communication and language
- Physical development
- Personal, social and emotional development
The specific areas are:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the world
- Expressive arts and design
We aim to ensure that we are providing an appropriate and high quality experience for our youngest pupils. We set out to provide learning opportunities which are imaginative and offer direct teaching balanced with opportunities for children to choose activities for themselves. Research shows that early opportunities for children to learn in such an environment can have long term educational and personal benefits.
Nursery and Reception staff liaise closely together to ensure as smooth a transition as possible into the main school.
Preparing for School
To make your child’s first few days at school try to help your child to
- Put on and take off a coat and manage the fastenings
- Tidy up toys
- Go to the toilet alone and wash their hands
- Dress and undress themselves
- Manage a knife and fork
- Look after books
Teaching your child the names of colours, to count familiar objects, sing nursery rhymes, listen to stories, share books with you, will help your child with their early learning.
Preschool Visits
Potential new entrants are invited to visit the school with their parents/carers to meet the headteacher and be shown around the school.
Starting School in Reception
All new Reception pupils and their parents/carers will have an opportunity to meet the class teachers prior to starting school.
Children are encouraged to explore and engage with the variety of activities provided, in a practical and purposeful way. We encourage them to become increasingly independent and to communicate and cooperate with others. Literacy and Numeracy are taught at appropriate times throughout the school day, in addition children will have regular opportunities to share and handle books, listen to stories, and learn nursery rhymes, and songs. Children will learn how to write, draw and paint with increasing control; recognise symbols, letters and sounds. They will develop mathematical language, practise counting, matching and sorting activities.
Nursery
Children would normally start nursery at the beginning of the term following their 3rd Birthday.
There are two part-time sessions, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. There are a total of 65 part time places available. There will be a maximum number of children per session.
The nursery aims are the same as for the main school. The emphasis is on ensuring that the children start to gain independence and learn through purposeful and practical play activities.
We hope that every child passing through Heartsease Primary Academy and Nursery will find it a happy and enthralling experience. We aim to ensure that by the time your child leaves our school they will take responsibility for themselves and those around them; be flexible in their thinking and appreciate diversity.
