Welcome to the Early Years!
We hope that you will find the information on this page useful. If you have any other questions, as always, do not hesitate to ask one of the team.
Who’s who in the Early Years?
Teaching Staff
Mrs Sarah Riley – EYFS Lead and Reception teacher
Mrs Helen Archer (Reception teacher)
Mrs Kirsty Paterson (Reception teacher)
Miss Caroline Whale (Nursery teacher)
EYFS HLTA Staff
Mrs Helen Browne Miss Megan Harper
EYFS Teaching Support Assistants
Mrs Emma Ingham (TA) Mrs Lisa Hevingham (TA) 
Mrs Amrita Padhi (TA) Miss Charlotte Browne (EYs Apprentice)
Miss Rebecca Gilsenan (EYs Apprentice)
Miss Jess Higgins (Ancillary Assistant)
Mrs Emma Gough (TA) , Miss Lauran Carter (TA)
Lunchtime Supervisors
Mrs Ellie Shaw Miss Shelly Lewis
Mrs Jade Hendon
LEARNING
How will my child learn to read?
At woodlands we follow a synthetic phonics programme called Read Write Inc. Read Write Inc. is a programme we use that focuses on teaching children to read and write. At the beginning of the programme the children are taught the letter sounds. They then learn to blend and segment these sounds as they start to read and write. For example, they learn the sounds c-a-t and blend these to read the word cat or segment it to spell. They go on to develop these skills and work towards reading and writing independently for a variety of purposes throughout the programme. Once the children have fully settled into school we will hold a ‘Stay and learn’ session where you will get the opportunity to come in and watch a lesson and see the programme in action.
Follow the link below which will take you to the parents page on the official Ruth Miskin Literacy (Read, Write Inc.) page. Here you will find a number of useful Read Write Inc. videos for parents.
Does my child have Homework?
Each child in Reception has a reading book and diary. Ideally we would like you to hear your child read, for a few minutes, every day.
We will be collecting the reading records on a weekly basis in order to talk to the children about the reading that they are doing at home and to reward them for their hard work. The children’s names will be entered into the raffle for each time they have read at home. At the end of each half term we will announce the reading raffle winner and they will be awarded a prize of a new story book!
Please click on the link below for suggestions of helpful and informative comments you could write in your child’s reading diary.
We also encourage parents to promote a love of reading at home, as much as we do within school. We will update you on the weekly focus story within the setting and provide you with links to share the story with your child at home. We encourage you to find a quality time of the day, such as bedtime, for you to read to your child and build their love for reading!
At Woodlands we see parents as partners within their child’s education. We really value parent involvement and are always keen to celebrate children’s achievements at home as well as at school. We regularly invite you to document these achievements through our Wow Moments slip, Holiday Hooray slip and our daily conversations. Parent involvement also bridges the gap between school and home, and is key in encouraging well-rounded learning and positive child development.
There will be many key dates throughout the year where we will invite you to Parents Stay and Learn Workshops!
Project learning in EYFS
What is project work?
At Woodlands we take inspiration from colleagues working in pre-school settings in Reggio Emilia in Italy. We aim to bring this inspiration to our curriculum and everyday practice. The city of Reggio Emilia is recognised worldwide for its innovative approach to education which many pre-school programmes around the world have tried to emulate.
Our daily project work provides a rich context for children working within mixed learning groups to communicate and share what they discover and know. Working in this way allows children to work collaboratively and develop the idea that together, they can achieve more than if we work on our own.
We have a range of project work areas the children can access everyday. The children work co-constructively with the educators within these learning areas, working on enquiries linked to the children’s interests. Take a look at a snapshot of each learning area from the photos below.
Snake Garden
Outside
Piazza
Café
Block Area
Previous National and International Project work
We Think Everywhere – Digital Landscapes of Possibility and New Creative Pedagogies
In previous academic years we have been lucky to receive funding from Erasmus+ (European Union Funding) to be part of a three-year project researching the use of digital media and the creative opportunities it offers to young children. We have worked with a network of schools in the UK and in Sweden to share our ideas and to discuss, as critical friends, the best ways to support our children to learn.
The We Think Everywhere network consists of…
Miss Smallwood and Mrs Archer’s latest reflective accounts…
We Think Everywhere Miss Smallwood Jan2017
We think everywhere Mrs Archer Jan2017
Find out more about this research project via our We Think Everywhere website by clicking on the link below…
EYFS Curriculum Framework Overview UPDATED JULY 2022
WOODLANDS’ SAFEGUARDING TEAM
DESIGNATED SAFEGUARDING LEADS
If you have any concerns about a child, please contact one of the safeguarding leads in school as soon as possible. As shown above your Designated Safeguarding Leads at Woodlands are Mrs Crilly, Mrs Duncombe, Mrs Chaplin, Mrs Fisher, Mrs Murray, Mrs Craven and Mr Jackson.
- If you are not satisfied with the response from any of the above, we ask that you call Family Connect with your concerns on the following number – 01952 385385.
For more information about looking after our children, visit our safeguarding page: https://woodlands-sch.org.uk/home/parents-area/office/parent-guides/internet-safety/
