Welcome to

Nursery at Richmond Hill Primary Academy!

Meet the Nursery staff:

Miss Challinor – Nursery Lead

Miss Smith – Teaching Assistant

Mrs Thompson - Teaching Assistant

To take a look inside our setting click on the link below:

Nursery at Richmond Hill

Here at Richmond Hill Primary Academy, we understand that this will be your child’s first experience within a school environment. This is a big milestone for both of you and I am sure that you have many questions and will be experiencing a mixture of emotions. ‘How will they settle in school’ or ‘how many jumpers will they need?’ These are very common questions and we are here to support you during this transition into school. We do have an open door policy where parents and carers are welcome to speak to us freely.

We provide an environment that will support and extend your child’s development and learning. Our setting encourages children to play and explore where they can feel relaxed, comfortable and ‘at home’. Each child is unique and we will ensure that their individual needs are respected. We will support and give your child the time they need to be independent, confident and happy learners.

Our aim is to show that your child is in a trusting environment and that they feel safe when in our care. We appreciate how important they are to you.

Home-school links

In our nursery, home-school links take on particular significance as they establish the foundation for your child's entire educational journey.  Building meaningful connections with families transforms how we nurture each child's earliest experiences of school life. 

Before your child joins us at Richmond Hill, we will offer you the opportunity for a home visit with our early years staff.  Home visits are an important practice where we can visit you in a comfortable environment and begin to build a positive relationship with you and your familiy.  It allows you to ask questions and share important information with us.  Research and practice show that children tend to settle more quickly, parents feel more connected to their child's education and the transition from home to school is much smoother when a home visit is conducted. 

At the start of the year, you are given a Home Journal that can be used to document your adventures and experiences that you share when away from school.  We value your child's interests and use these as conversation starters that spark rich discussions between our staff and your child.  The journals help to support our continuous provision and adult-focused activities to create a seamless experience where children feel that their whole lives are respected. 

 Our Projects

Characteristics Of Effective Learning

This Term -

'Ready Steady Grow'

In the Ready Steady Grow project your child will take part in practical activities to explore where food comes from. They will learn what seeds and plants need to grow and grow a variety of plants. They will explore what constitutes a healthy lifestyle, including eating fruit and vegetables, exercise and teeth brushing. They will find out about life on a farm and about baby animals.

Aims of the Foundation Stage

· That each child should be provided with the opportunities, skills and environment that enables them to develop into active, confident and independent learners.

· To foster an effective partnership between home and school.

· To maintain a safe but challenging environment in which each child can be helped to develop to his/her full potential.

· To develop social, moral, cultural and spiritual awareness in our children.

· To foster in the children a belief in their own worth and enable each child to become increasingly confident, independent and able to make their own considered choices.

· To ensure that each child regardless of gender, race, culture or ability, is given an equal opportunity to develop to his/her full potential.

· That there is continuity between Nursery and Reception and effective liaison to support this transition.

· To develop a positive approach to the acquisition of new skills that will provide a firm foundation for future learning.

Play

At Richmond Hill Primary School, we believe that well-planned play, both indoors and outdoors, is a key way in which young children learn with enjoyment and challenge. Through play, children can develop an understanding of the world around them. They can practise and build up ideas, concepts and skills. They learn how to control impulses and to understand the need for rules. They can take risks and make mistakes, think creatively and imaginatively.

During play children learn how to communicate with others as they investigate or solve problems. They are able to express fears or relive anxious experiences in controlled and safe situations. They can be alone, be alongside others or cooperate as they talk or rehearse their feelings. We can help children to learn through their play by planning and resourcing a challenging environment, supporting children’s learning through planned play activity, extending and supporting children’s spontaneous play and developing children’s language and communication in their play.

Independence

Before starting school, it is helpful if your child could do some or all of the following.

· Change their shoes if required

· Use the toilet

· Wash and dry hands

· Tidy away toys

· Use a handkerchief

· Put on their coat

· Use a knife and fork

· Have an awareness of some traditional nursery rhymes and stories

We look forward to welcoming your child into our Nursery. We are confident that they will have fun, make new friends and thoroughly enjoy being part of our family at Richmond Hill Primary Academy.

The link below is a helpful document called 'What to expect When'. This may help you with expectations at home and could inform your 'wow moments'.

https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2015/03/4Children_ParentsGuide_2015_WEB.pdf

Phonics

How to say the sounds

https://schools.ruthmiskin.com/training/view/HEyhWdsr/yIdj39EE

Why to read to your child

https://schools.ruthmiskin.com/training/view/tHFpgaLu/SMu7v9qE