Welcome to the EYFS
Welcome to the EYFS
Specialist Teaching in Pre-Reception and Reception Forest School Each child in DUCKS will visit our Forest School regularly where our fully trained practitioners nurture child-led exploration and discovery. The ethos of Forest School further expands our aim to nurture a culture based on collaboration where children embrace challenges that lead to their development of resilience and empathy, alongside a greater connection with nature. Forest School aims to promote the holistic development of the children involved, encouraging independence, resilience, confidence and creativity in learning. The sessions aim to develop cognitive, social, emotional, physical, linguistic and spiritual aspects of learning. These can happen through small achievable tasks that can be scaffolded by the Forest School leader allowing individuals to succeed and personalities, experiences, imaginations and creativity to flourish. Modern Foreign Language At DUCKS we aim to create a good foundation of how to listen to and speak modern foreign languages and to teach the initial skills for language learning through French lessons. Our aim is to encourage children to approach learning new languages and explore different cultures with interest and enthusiasm. The emphasis is on the spoken word and activities include singing, games, role-play and stories. Music Children are encouraged to participate in various activities including singing, listening, composition and performance involving lots of hands-on experience with a range of percussion instruments. In Year 2, a half class recorder lesson is incorporated into their music curriculum. We have a School String Orchestra, which meets weekly. Visiting Music Teachers DUCKS have several visiting Music teachers who offer individual piano, violin and cello lessons. As lessons take place during the school day, your child may miss academic lessons, playtime or have lunch at a different time. Please arrange a meeting with your child’s teacher to discuss the effect this may have on their learning, behaviour or friendships if you are concerned. You will be asked to sign a contract for these music lessons and the cost is billed termly. If you are interested in music lessons for your child, please contact DUCKS Head of Music. Physical Education Children have PE lessons each week, following an indoor and outdoor curriculum, enabling them to explore and develop their physical skills. The children are encouraged to build on their natural enthusiasm for movement. Most importantly, the children are encouraged to communicate positively with adults and each other and to foster the concept of teamwork. Swimming Reception children begin swimming lessons at Dulwich College Sports Centre in the Summer Term. These weekly sessions continue in Year 1 and Year 2. The children are taught by qualified instructors. The classroom teacher and/or teaching assistant are also poolside.
Settling In We support parents/carers to settle their children into school quickly and easily by giving consideration to any individual needs and circumstances. Some children settle very quickly, others may take a little longer and we are guided in our procedures entirely by the response of each individual child. Please feel free to talk to your child’s key person about how they are settling in. DUCKS staff will work in partnership with parents/carers to settle their child into the DUCKS environment by: • reassuring parents/carers whose children seem to be taking a longer time settling into the Kindergarten or Early Years routine, • discussing with parents/carers the benefit of shorter sessions for a longer period of time in addition to the settling-in period, should their child require it, • encouraging parents/carers, where appropriate, to separate themselves in a supportive manner, helping the child to start their day positively, • respecting the circumstances of all families and reassuring them of their child’s progress towards settling in. Home Visits Home visits are an extension of our well established key person system. The aim of the home visit is to introduce this relationship with your child in a comfortable, secure environment. We offer Zoom and home visits to all children joining DUCKS in the EYFS. We hope that by seeing your child in familiar surroundings we will be able to build trust and confidence between you and DUCKS. In turn, we as practitioners, will gain an insight into your child’s life and learn about the things that are important to them. Comforters We know that some children have comforters that are special to them and we welcome these in the Kindergarten. These transitional objects can help to support settling in and provide a great comfort for children when they are coming to DUCKS for the first time. They represent a little piece of home that they bring with them. Learning Suport The Infants’ School has a SENDCo and two Learning Support Assistants who provide in-class and specialised individual and small group lessons as well as supporting English as an Additional Language (EAL). Library The Infants’ School has an up-to date,well-stocked Library. The children make use of the Library on a regular basis to support all areas of the curriculum. They also select and borrow books on a regular basis and enjoy the Library facilities in a quiet and appropriate manner.
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