Fullerton House Preparatory Department
Parent Information for Starting P1
Beginning the journey to excellence
Contents 2
3 4 5 7 8 9 10
Welcome Our School Day Key Staff School Uniform Preparing for P1 The Foundation Stage Curriculum Learning Through Play
11 13 15 16 17 18 19 20
Communication Using Mathematics Using ICT Parent Teacher Communication Special Educational or Medical Needs Wrap Around Care Parent Teacher Association Contact
Welcome Starting P1 is an exciting time for you and your child and something you will have been looking forward to for some time. The purpose of this booklet it to provide you with as much information as possible about what to expect this year, so that you can help your child make the best start to their time at Fullerton House. We look forward to welcoming you in August to Fullerton House.
Alan Jennings Head of MCB Preparatory Department
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Our School Day
Our P1 School Day
Settling In
Our school day starts at 8.30am with registration taking place between 8.30am – 8.45am. Morning break takes place at 10.15am and lunch is between 12 – 1pm.
P1 children enter school using the wooden gate at the infant playground.
School meals are available at a cost of £2.60 per day or children may bring a packed lunch if they wish. P1 finish at 2.30pm We also provide a full wrap around care service which you can read about on page 18.
School Dates 2022 - 2023
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Autumn Term Half Term Spring Term Half Term Summer Term May Day Holiday
Term starts Friday 26 August. Tuesday 30 August - Friday 2 September P1 will finish school before lunch at 12pm. Monday 5 - Friday 9 September P1 stay for lunch and will be collected at 1pm. From Monday 12 September children stay for the full day until 2.30pm.
26 August 2022 – 20 December 2022 31 October 2022 – 4 November 2022 3 January 2023 – 30 March 2023 13 February 2023 – 17 February 2023 17 April 2023 – 30 June 2023 1 May 2023
Key Staff The following staff are the key people that your child will get to know first in their P1 year. Mr Jennings Head of Methodist College Preparatory Department (Fullerton House and Downey House)
Mrs Watson P1 Class Teacher Head of Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 (Preschool - P4)
Mrs Creighton P1 Classroom Assistant Supervises the children in the playground at break and lunch times. Also provides support in the office.
Mrs Forsythe School Secretary
Mr Allen Deputy Head of Fullerton House Designated Teacher for Child Protection
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Key Staff Mrs Shanks Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator
Mr Love Learning Support Specialist Teacher
Mrs Gray PE Specialist Teacher P1 have PE once a week. Pupils do not require a PE kit until P3 but should have a pair of black gym shoes to change into.
Mrs Allen Performing Arts Specialist Teacher P1 have Music and Drama twice a week as well as P1 - P3 hymn practice.
Miss Keaveney Modern Languages Specialist Teacher P1 have Fun French once a week from November.
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School Uniform Suppliers Warnocks
791 - 793 Lisburn Road Blazer Boys’ short trousers / girls’ tunic Tie Jumper Girls’ summer dress Boys’ socks Girls’ hair scrunchies (optional) Scarf (optional)
Directly from the school
Any school wear supplier
Outer coat Neck warmer (optional) Winter hat (optional)
White school shirts Black leather shoes Girls’ white knee socks or black opaque tights Black gym shoes Plain navy gloves (optional)
Other Essentials: • You will also need to provide a snack or lunch box, a cycling helmet for outdoor play and wellington boots. • Non-regulation coats, hats and scarves are not permitted. • You will have all been provided with a book bag, if you haven’t received this please contact the school office. • The PTA also have regular second hand uniform sales. • Please ensure you label everything clearly with your child’s name. 7
Preparing for P1 There are some things that you can do now to ensure that your child gets the most out of their early days in school. Being as independent as possible raises your child’s self esteem and lets them concentrate on having fun, making friends and learning new skills. • • • • • •
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Make sure your child can go to the toilet independently. Teach them to wash their hands thoroughly and dry them afterwards. Ensure that they know how to use a tissue and dispose of it. Encourage them to put on and take off their coats by themselves. Help them to recognise their name so they can find their own belongings. Teach them to fasten and unfasten their school shoes; velcro fasteners can be a good choice.
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To help at lunch and snack time, practise opening packets, making healthy choices and using a knife and fork. A big part of starting school is about getting along well with others, taking turns and treating others with respect. Play board games at home to help your child become familiar with being fair, compromising, winning or losing and joining in with others.
The Foundation Stage Curriculum Our exceptional teaching staff deliver the key areas of learning within the NI curriculum to a high standard in order to give our pupils the skills, knowledge and understanding that will enable them to be thriving lifelong learners. In Foundation and Key Stage 1 (P1 - P4) we use Learning through Play as our approach which provides a happy, stimulating and encouraging environment. There are three cross-curricular skills that are developed in all areas of learning: • Communication • Using Mathematics • Using ICT
Areas of Learning
The arts
Language and literacy
Mathematics and numeracy
Religious education
Physical development and movement
Personal development and mutual understanding The world around us 9
Learning Through Play Your child will participate in structured and child-led play activities every day in the classroom and in the outdoor play area. Play is critical for brain development and is essential for: • Developing key curricular skills • Building imagination • Strengthening social skills • Enhancing self-esteem • Teaching self-control and problem solving Indoor and outdoor play in P1 will include: • Water and sand • Construction • Malleable play • Creative play • Imaginative play including role play and small world play • Puzzles and games • Using ICT • Physical and energetic play 10
Cross Curricular Skills
Communication Communication incorporates Language and Literacy. Communication has three strands: 1. Talking and listening 2. Reading 3. Writing
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Most children will be reading short books by the end of the first term. We use the Oxford Reading Tree series as our core reading scheme supported by books from other publishers. Pencil grip and letter formation are the first writing skills and by the end of P1 most children can write simple sentences with the support of a word bank.
What to expect: • Your child will have the opportunity to develop these skills every day in P1. • Talking and listening will form the core of every lesson at Foundation Stage. • From the start of the year your child will begin to learn phonics (the sounds that the letters make) and key words (words that appear frequently in text). 1111
Getting Ready for P1
Communication To get ready for P1 you can help in the following ways: Teach your child to listen and follow simple instructions. Give them daily tasks around the house, like putting away their toys or setting the table for breakfast in the morning. Use two-part instructions like, “Pick up your toys and put them in the box please” and three-part instructions like, “Put the spoons, cups and bowls onto the table please.” Encourage your child to clearly communicate their needs by speaking in complete sentences, such as “I would like to use the toilet, please” or “I need help with this word”. Talk about ways to explain how they are feeling to people who they trust. 12
By the time they start P1, children should be able to listen to and understand five to ten minute stories. Most will be able to retell simple stories that they have heard and some may even begin telling original stories. If you don’t have a regular reading routine at your house, it’s never too late to start. Numerous studies have found that children who are read to regularly at home will have a much better chance at succeeding at school overall. Include lots of rhymes, such as traditional Nursery Rhymes and books by Julia Donaldson. Encourage your child to join in with repeated words and phrases. When using a pencil or crayon, ensure that your child uses the tripod grip. Bad habits are hard to break later on. Left handed children can move their grip further up the pencil so that they can see what they are doing and avoid smudges.
Cross Curricular Skills
Using Mathematics Mathematics has four strands in P1: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Number Measure Shape and space Data handling
What to expect: • • •
Your child will work extensively with numbers up to 20 in P1. Length, weight, capacity, shape and space will be explored practically through meaningful play based activities. Early data handling experiences using objects to match, sort, order and graph will be linked to learning in other areas of the curriculum.
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Getting Ready for P1
Using Mathematics To get ready for P1 you can help in the following ways: Practice matching and sorting objects by simple attributes, such as shape, colour and function e.g. food, clothes, things you can cook with. Help your child to point out patterns in the environment (e.g. in clothing, along a footpath, in a picture) and make sure they can name simple colours and shapes. Show your child how numbers are used in everyday activities, on front doors, in a recipe, keeping score during a game, or counting, measuring and weighing objects. Practise touch counting to at least 10 and sing number rhymes and songs.
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Cross Curricular Skills
Using ICT We explore ICT using PCs, iPads, the interactive whiteboard, cameras and electronic toys in P1. Adults model using the internet to find information. We express ourselves through drawing and mark making using art software, recording our voices, playing educational games and writing on screen.
Getting Ready for P1
Using ICT Have fun taking photographs together and emphasise the importance of taking care of expensive and delicate equipment. If possible, give your child experience using a keyboard and mouse. Many children have used only hand held devices. Download some apps that they will use in the early days of P1 such as Number Blocks World, Alpha Blocks World and Hairy Letters. 1515
Parent Teacher
Communication Good communication between parents and teacher is key to ensuring that your child is happy and settled in school and that they reach their full potential. Mrs Watson will inform you of any difficulties promptly and make sure that you hear about your child’s progress regularly. If you wish to make an appointment with Mrs Watson or any member of staff, this can be arranged at pick-up time in the afternoon or by contacting Mrs Forsythe on 02890 205217 or email info@fullertonhouseprep.org 16
Formal parent-teacher interviews take place in October and February using an online video-conferencing system called School Cloud. You will also receive an annual written report in June.
Special Educational or Medical Needs It is common for children to experience a little difficulty with their work from time to time; we all have different strengths and talents. Mrs Watson may ask you to practise a certain skill at home or may take your child for a small group session to reinforce literacy and numeracy skills. This is not an indication of a special educational need. A very small number of pupils experience significant or sustained learning difficulties. If we are concerned about your child’s progress, Mrs Watson and Mrs Shanks, the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo), will meet with you to talk through the best way to provide
support and record this in an individual education plan. Mrs Shanks can access advice, resources and assessment from outside agencies if necessary. Likewise, if you are already aware that your child has a special educational or medical need please let us know so that we can ensure we are providing the most appropriate learning environment for them.
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Wrap Around Care We recognise the needs of working parents and therefore we provide a comprehensive wrap around care service. We offer Breakfast Club from 8am and After School Club from 2.30pm – 5.30pm. For parents with children that finish at 2.30pm and 3pm we offer a waiting club for the younger child (P1 - P3) so that you only have to do one school pick up. In After Schools Club the children are able to participate in a variety of activities including art and craft, games and simple cooking. The after school team includes a dedicated After School Club supervisor and one or two assistants. They can also make use of the gym or play outside. They are also provided with snacks during their session. Breakfast Club, Waiting Club and After Schools Club can all be booked through the School Gateway App. 18
Parent Teacher Association Fullerton House has an active PTA that plays a significant role in the school. The committee organises a range of social events for pupils and parents throughout the year which generate vital additional funds for school equipment as well as providing great entertainment. The PTA support staff and parents by supervising at our twice yearly Scholastic Book Fair and running a Second Hand Uniform Shop. Joining the PTA is a great way to get to know other parents and become actively involved in school life. New members are always welcome.
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Contact us
Fullerton House 1 Malone Road Belfast BT9 6BY 02890 205217 info@fullertonhouseprep.org www.fullertonhouseprep.org
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fullertonmcb @mcbfullerton