Welcome to Knotty Ash Early Year Foundation Stage Unit

Please watch the welcome videos below for all families joining or returning to our Early Years Foundation Unit in September, 2023.

Our Foundation Stage Unit

Our unit has separate entrances for Foundation 1 ( Nursery) and Foundation 2 (Reception). However, during parts of the day, the children will work alongside each other in a large, purposeful environment, both inside and out. All areas of learning and continuous provision are enhanced by our teachers and teaching assistants which is child-led. This, along with adult direction and equipment, is to target and aid in enhancing your child’s learning.

Home Visits

Children coming into our Nursery will have a home visit before they join us. This is usually during the first week in September but they may be done later in the year depending upon when your child turns three. This visit gives you an opportunity to speak to your child’s key person about any concerns you may have. It also establishes our staff as a person of trust. This will help your child to feel safe within the unit as those looking after them have been to their house. Children will then start by attending a full morning or afternoon session. If your child is staying for the full day this may be done over a few days to ease their transition on consultation with yourself.

Nursery Visits

For those children new to our Reception Class, a visit to their current Nursery or home setting will be done during the summer term before they attend the school in September. This gives our staff the chance to meet your child, see how they are in their current setting and discuss transition with their current nursery and key person. Children currently in our Nursery are well known to the staff in Reception and staff will have had transition meetings with the nursery staff before they return in September. The new children to Knotty Ash will have their own settling in time at the beginning of the year before our returners join us to give them chance to get used to our setting and our staff. 

Nursery Session Times

Morning Session– 8:30 — 11:30a.m.

Lunch– 11:30a.m. — 12:30p.m.

Afternoon Session-  12:30p.m.— 3:30p.m.

*Children attending Nursery all day, under the 30-hour offer, may stay for lunch 11:30-12:30.  Parents will need to send in a healthy packed lunch. There will be an additional charge of £20 per week for this service, this covers the cost of supervision. All fees should be paid in advance.*

Reception Session Times

The door opens at 8:40am and closes at 8.50am.

School ends at 3:15pm.

*Children attending Reception are entitled to universal free school meals. They are accompanied into the main school hall to eat their lunch. Playtime then takes place on the EYFS playground.*

Uniform

All children in the Foundation Stage Unit wear the same uniform, consisting of a red polo shirt and sweatshirt with a school logo on that can be purchased from local outfitters, black joggers are also to be worn. In summer black shorts or leggings may be worn. 

Please note; Nursery and Reception have different logos on their polo shirts and jumpers.

Footwear should be black, flat, sturdy and comfortable, trainers may be worn; but should be VELCRO fastening. The children will be spending a lot of time outside so if you could please provide a pair of wellington boots, a waterproof coat and trousers or suit for your child. These will be used for when the weather is unpleasant and for our Forest School sessions. It is essential that all items of clothing and property are clearly labelled.

If your child has toileting accidents, you may wish to leave a spare set of clothes in a clearly labelled pump bag so that they can get changed to ensure they are comfortable. If your child is not yet toilet trained they may attend the unit wearing a pull up nappy. They will be encouraged to use the toilet and will only be changed if they soil themselves with faeces as the pull up should keep them comfortable for a session if they are wet. However, if they are attending all day their pull up will be changed. This is intended to aid a smooth transition and should not happen for and extended period.

Foundation Unit Readiness

Please encourage your child to dress, go to the toilet; wash and dry their hands independently. If you do everything for your child then they will always need you to do it for them. But if you spend time teaching them how to do something then they can do it for a lifetime. We will encourage your child to do things for themselves. We have a CAN DO! attitude here at Knotty Ash.

Your child will not need a book bag, we will provide them with one at the beginning of the year. We do not have enough room in our classroom for other bags. Your child will only need to bring a water bottle, coat and packed lunch if they're not having a school meal.