EYFS
"The greatest development is achieved during the first years of life, and therefore it is then that the greatest care should be taken."Maria Montessori
Welcome to the Early Years Unit at Archibald!
From the moment your child arrives at our school they become part of our school family where we learn together and care for each other. Our staff are as committed to the welfare of the children as we are to academic achievement. We give our children time to explore and discover the wonder of things. Time to learn, laugh and play together. We offer opportunities for the to be immersed in nature and we ensure our unit is a place to feel at home. We create a relaxed and happy environment that is caring and supportive because we know that this kind of atmosphere makes children feel safe and helps them to develop confidence, self-esteem and respect for others whilst becoming more confident learners.
Our Early Years unit is the start of your child’s very special journey through school. What children experience and learn in the EYFS creates strong and lasting foundations on which to build in later life. That’s why we believe that it is essential that experiences are meaningful, engaging and of the highest quality in order to foster a love of learning. And we will be there, learning alongside them, every step of the way.
The Early Years Unit is always staffed by at least three teachers and three members of support staff. All of these members of staff are Key Workers and will be responsible for your children when they are in school. The staff work collaboratively to ensure all children are happy, safe and secure, and they plan activities which allow for consistency and continuity across all ages and abilities.
Involving Parents and Carers
At Archibald First School we value the input and recognise the importance, of our parents and guardians to the children’s learning and development.
Because of this, we ensure that there are numerous opportunities available for you to get involved with school life; some of which are whole school and some which are just Early Years orientated.
For instance, over the year we like to offer opportunities for parents and guardians to come into the Early Years Unit for play days. These offer the chance for you to experience the environment and kinds of activities that the children are able to access on a daily basis as well as providing an opportunity to talk with staff on an informal basis. We also hold ‘Sharing Weeks’ in which we ask you in to share something with the children – this can be a hobby, job-related or simply your time to read stories to the children- anything goes (almost!).
We use the Tapestry as our online learning journey. From school we share what the children are learning and the fun activities we get up to. It also gives you the opportunity to share the lovely experiences and learning that goes on at home. Such as staying in their own bed all night, trying their vegetables, to writing their name or learning to skip. It helps us to form the important partnership between staff and parents.
We value what your child gets up to and achieves at home, to share this with us we have Wow Stars for you to write on. These can be downloaded from the link below. We like to hear about all things such as staying in their own bed all night, trying their vegetables to writing their name or learning to skip.
All of the staff in the Early Years team, and at Archibald, look forward to working with you in partnership to support your child’s development and learning.