Learning at Early Years

A Guide for Parents

Education for a bright future

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A Parent’s Guideto Learning at Early Years

When we first send our children to school, we place enormous trust and confidence in the school as they take care of our most precious asset. We hope that our children will be happy and successful; that their needs will be met; and that they will learn and make progress every single day.

However, we also, naturally, have lots of questions – about what our child will be learn-ing; how we can help; and what we can expect from our child and from the school over the coming years. This is why we have written this guide: to pre-empt some of the main questions you are likely to want to ask, and to give you the detailed answers you need and deserve:

What is Teaching and Learning like at EY?What will my child be learning?How will my child learn to read?What are Phonics?What homework will my child be expected to do?How will the school communicate with me?How well is my child doing?What if my child needs additional support?

In this way, we hope to strengthen still further the special relationship between home and school, and maximise your child’s success and happiness here at Early Years.

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What is Teaching and Learning like at EY?

Whilst we can be tempted, as parents, to expect that our children are taught ‘formally’, learning in the way, perhaps, that we were taught as children, best practice now is to place the child at the centre of their own learning experience.

‘Children learn when they are given appropriate responsibility, allowed to make errors, decisions and choices, and are respected as autonomous and competent learners.’ (DfES, 2002)

With this in mind, children are offered a range of learning opportunities at Early Years in order to maximise their enjoyment and understanding within lessons.

Child Initiated Learning

At this young age, much learning is child initiated in nature. Child initiated activities are essential in order to offer young children opportunities to explore and understand the world around them. Child initiated sessions will allow children the freedom to decide:

what they want to dowhere, when, how and with whom they want to do itwhat resources they need to help them.

This is all conducted within an environment that has been carefully planned by their class teacher, whilst retaining the fluidity necessary for your child’s needs and interests to be fully met.

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Adult Initiated Learning

Adult led activities allow children the opportunity to learn from watching and imitating others. The greater the focus on skills development, and, in particular, on the develop-ment of thinking skills, the more independent and successful a learner your child will become.

For example, skills such as problem-solving, communication and self-awareness are taught through the use of role play. These skills can only be learned through the process of interaction, risk-taking, self-expression and feedback. Role play offers children a safe environment in which to develop the social skills they need in real life.

Children are also encouraged to test and explore their ideas both independently and collectively within the classroom. Teamwork allows for peer teaching and assessment whilst independent activities encourage children to become confident independent learners.

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What will my child be learning?

Foundation Stage (Pre-Nursery, Nursery and Reception)

Teachers provide an environment of structured and unstructured activities, in order to meet the very specific learning needs of our youngest children. These include activities such as:

role playco-operative playproblem-solvingsinging, listening and moving to musicdiscussionsstoriesartand physical activity.

These activities are aimed at nurturing physical and emotional well-being, whilst promot-ing intellectual and social development. Through developing the whole child in this man-ner we are also laying the foundations for future learning.

Physical development

Moving and handling: Children show good control and co-ordination in large and small movements. They move confidently in a range of ways, safely negotiating space. They handle equipment and tools effectively, including pencils for writing.

Health and self-care: Children know the importance for good health of physical exercise and a healthy diet, and talk about ways to keep healthy and safe. They manage their own basic hygiene and personal needs successfully, including dressing and going to the toilet independently.

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Personal, Social, Emotional development

Self-confidence and self-awareness: Children are confident to try new activities, and say why they like some activities more than others. They are confident to speak in a familiar group, will talk about their ideas, and will choose the resources they need for their chosen activities. They say when they do or don’t need help.

Managing feelings and behaviour: Children talk about how they and others show feelings, talk about their own and others’ behaviour, and its consequences, and know that some behaviour is unacceptable. They work as part of a group or class, and understand and follow the rules. They adjust their behaviour to different situations and changes of routine.

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Making relationships: Children play co-operatively, taking turns with others. They take account of one another’s ideas about how to organise their activity. They show sensitivity to others’ needs and feelings, and form positive relationships with adults and other children.

Communication and Language

Listening and attention: Children listen attentively in a range of situations. They listen to stories, accurately anticipating key events and responding to what they hear with relevant comments, questions or actions. They give their attention to what others say and respond appropriately. Children follow instructions involving several ideas or actions. They answer ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions about their experiences and in response to stories or events.

Speaking: Children express themselves effectively, showing awareness of listeners’ needs. They use past, present and future forms accurately when talking about events that have happened or are to happen in the future. They develop their own narratives and explanations by connecting ideas or events.

Literacy

Reading: Children read and understand simple sentences. They use phonic knowledge to decode regular words and read them aloud accurately. They also read some common irregular words. They show understanding when talking with others about what they have read.

Writing: Children use their phonic knowledge to write words in ways which match their spoken sounds. They also write some irregular common words. They write simple sentences which can be read by themselves and others. Some words are spelt correctly and others are phonetically plausible.

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Mathematics

Numbers: Children count reliably with numbers from 1 to 20, place them in order and say which number is one more or one less than a given number. Using quantities and objects, they add and subtract two single-digit numbers and count on or back to find the answer. They solve problems, including doubling, halving and sharing.

Shape, space and measures: Children use everyday language to talk about size, weight, capacity, position, distance, time and money to compare quantities and objects and to solve problems. They recognise, create and describe patterns. They explore characteristics of everyday objects and shapes and use mathematical language to describe them.

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Expressive Arts and Design

Exploring and using media and materials: Children sing songs, make music and dance, and experiment by changing them. They safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experiment-ing with colour, design, texture, form and function.

Being imaginative: Children use what they have learnt about media and materials in original ways, thinking about uses and purposes. They represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through design and technology, art, music, dance, role play and stories.

Understanding the world

People and communities: Children talk about past and present events in their own lives and in the lives of family members. They know that other children don’t always enjoy the same things, and are sensitive to this. They know about similarities and differences between themselves and others, and among families, communities and traditions.

The world: Children know about similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materi-als and living things. They talk about the features of their own immediate environment and how environ-ments might vary from one another. They make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur, and talk about changes.

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Technology: Children recognise that a range of technology is used in places such as homes and schools. They select and use technology for particular purposes.

Thai Language and Thai Studies The Thai syllabus is approved by the Thai Ministry of Education and encourages children to develop language skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Children are given opportunities to develop an appreciation and respect for the Thai culture through music, art, recreational language and cultural activities.

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Mission StatementCreating a stimulating and welcomingearly years school that inspires happy children to learn confidently in English

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What will my child be learning?

Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2)

The National Curriculum for England and Wales is designed to build on the what children have learnt through following the Foundation Stage during their time in Pre-Nursery,Nursery and Reception. In Key Stage 1, your child will study the following sub-jects, each with its own, age-appropriate aims:

EnglishMathematicsScienceICT (Information and Communication Technology)HistoryGeographyArtMusicDesign and TechnologyPSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education)PE (Physical Education)Thai Language and Culture

EnglishWrite with confidence, fluency and understandingBe able to orchestrate a full range of reading cues (phonic, graphic, syntactic, con-textual) and to monitor their reading and correct their own mistakesUnderstand spelling systems and use this to read and spell accuratelyBegin to develop fluent and legible handwriting by the end of KS1Have an interest in words and their meaning, and growing vocabularyKnow, understand and to be able to write in a range of genres in fiction and poetry, and to understand and be familiar with some of the ways in which narratives are structured through basic literacy ideas of setting, character and plotUnderstand, use and be able to write a range of non-fiction textsPlan, draft, revise and edit their own writingHave a suitable vocabulary through which to understand and discuss their reading and writingBe interested in books, read with enjoyment and evaluate and justify their prefer-ences.

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Personal, Social, Emotional development Mathematics

Know by heart number facts such as number bonds, some multiplication tables, dou-bles and halvesUse what they know by heart to solve problems mentallyCalculate accurately and efficiently, both mentally and on paper, drawing on a range of calculation strategiesRecognise when it is appropriate to use a calculator, and be able to do so effectivelyMake sense of number problems, including non-routine problems, and recognize the operations needed to solve themExplain their methods and reasoning using correct mathematical termsJudge whether their answers are reasonable and have strategies for checking them where necessarySuggest suitable units for measuring, and make sensible estimates of measurementsExplain and make predictions from the numbers in graphs, diagrams, charts and tablesRecognise, name and describe 2D and 3D shapes.

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ScienceCollect evidence by making observations and measurements and to use this evidence when trying to answer a questionAsk questions (What will happen if…? Why…?) and decide how they might answer themUse first hand experiences and simple information sources to answer questionsThink about and predict what might happen before deciding what to doRecognise why a test may not be fairObtain and present evidenceFollow simple instructions to control risk to themselves and othersExplore using their senses, and record using their observationsCommunicate their findings in a variety of ways - including through use of ICTConsider evidence and evaluate by using simple patterns and associationsCompare what happened to their predictions and to attempt to explain whyReview their own work and explain to others what they didAcquire knowledge, skills and understanding through a range of domestic and environmental contexts that are familiar and of interest to themUnderstand the part science has played in the development of a range of useful thingsUse a range of sources of information and data, including ICT-based sourcesUse both first-hand and secondary experiences whilst carrying out a range of scientific investigationsUse appropriate scientific language and terms, including scientific units of measurementCommunicate ideas and explain the behaviour of living things, materials, phenomena and processesRecognise that there are hazards in living things, materials and physical processes, and take action to reduce risks to themselves and other

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Information, Communication and Technology (ICT)Use ICT to promote initiative and independent learning, with children being able to make informed judgments about when and where to use ICTConsider its implications for home and work both now and in the futureGather information from a variety of sources, enter and store information and retrieve it to use the text, table, image or sound to develop their ideasSelect from and add to information they have retrieved for particular purposesPlan and give instructions to make things happenTry things out and explore what happens in real and imaginary situations (for example, trying out different colours on an image, using an adventure game or simulation)Share their ideas by organizing and presenting information in a variety of forms (for example, text, image, sound, multimedia presentation) and to talk about what information they need and how they can find and use it;Present their completed work effectively (for example, for public display), be sensitive to the needs of the audience and think carefully about the content and quality when communicating informationShare and exchange information in a variety of formswith other methods and con-sidering the effect it has on others.

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HistoryPlace events and objects in chronological orderUse common words and phrases related to the passing of timeRecognise why people did things, why events happened and what happened as a resultIdentify differences between ways of life at different timesIdentify different ways in which the past is presentedFind out about the past from a range of sources of information, including ICT-based sourcesAsk and answer questions about the pastSelect from their knowledge of history and communicate in a variety of waysUnderstand about characteristic features of the periods and societies studiedRecognise that the past is represented and interpreted in different ways and give reasons for thisSelect and record information relevant to the focus of the enquiryRecall, select and organize historical informationUnderstand about the social, cultural, religious and ethnic diversity of the societies studied - in Britain, Thailand and the wider World.

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GeographyAsk geographical questionsObserve, collect and recordAnalyse evidence and draw conclusionsExpress their own views about people, places and environmentsIdentify and explain the views of othersCommunicate in a variety of ways appropriate to the task and audienceUse appropriate geographical vocabularyUse atlases and globes, maps and plansDraw plans and mapsUse ICT to help in geographical investigationsIdentify and describe what places are likeLocate the places and environments that they study and other significant places and environmentsIdentify how and why places changeDescribe and explain how and why places are similar to and different from other places in the same country and elsewhere in the WorldRecognise and explain patterns made by individual physical and human features in the environmentRecognise changes in the environment and how the environment can be improved and sustained.

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ArtRecord from first hand observation, experience and imagination, and explore ideasAsk and answer questions about the starting points for their work, and develop their ideasCollect visual and other information to help them develop their ideas, including using a sketchbookInvestigate the possibilities of a range of materials and processesTry out tools and techniques and apply these to materials and processes, including drawingRepresent observations, ideas and feelings, and design and make images and ar-tefactsCompare ideas, methods and approaches in their own and others’ work and say what they think and feel about themAdapt their work according to their views and describe how they might develop it furtherExperiment with colour, pattern and texture, line and tone, shape, form and spaceUnderstand about the materials and processes used in making art, craft and designUnderstand the roles and purposes of artists, craftspeople and designers working in different times and cultures.

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MusicUse their voices expressively by singing songs and speaking chants and rhymesPlay tuned and untuned instrumentsRehearse and perform with others with an awareness of the audienceCreate musical patternsExplore, choose and organize sounds and musical ideasAnalyse and compare soundsExplore and explain their own ideas and feelings about music using movement, dance, expressive language and musical vocabularyImprove their own and others’ work in relation to its intended effectListen with concentration and to internalize and recall sounds with increasing aural memoryCombine musical elements of pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture and silence and understand that they can be organized and used expressively within simple structuresUnderstand that sounds can be made in different ways and can be described using given and invented signs and symbolsUnderstand how music is used for particular purposesUnderstand how time and place can influence the way music is created, performed and heard.

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Design and Technology (DT)Generate ideas by drawing on their own and other people’s experiencesDevelop ideas by shaping materials and putting together componentsTalk about their ideasPlan and develop their idea, suggesting a sequence of actions and alternatives, if neededCommunicate their ideas using a variety of methods, including drawing and making modelsSelect tools, techniques and materials for making their productExplore the sensory qualities of materialsMeasure, mark out, cut and shape a range of materialsAssemble, join and combine materials and componentsUse finishing techniques to improve the appearance of their product, using a range of equipment including ICTFollow safe procedures for food safety and hygieneReflect on the progress of their work as they design and make, identifying ways they could improve their productsCarry out tests before making improvementsRecognise that the quality of a product depends on how well it is made and how well it meets its intended purposeUnderstand about the working characteristics of materialsUnderstand how mechanisms can be used in different ways.

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Personal, Social and Health Education and CitizenshipMost of these skills are revisited throughout a child’s time in the school, and we encourage children to question their understanding of issues such as bullying, self-esteem, strengths and weaknesses, comradeship, motivation, racism and health related issues.

Develop confidence and responsibility and to make the most of their abilitiesPrepare to play an active role as citizensDevelop a healthy, safer lifestyleDevelop good relationships and to respect the differences between people.

Physical Education (PE)Explore basic skills, actions and ideas with increasing understandingRemember and repeat simple skills and actions with increasing control and coordinationConsolidate existing skills and gain new onesExplore how to choose and apply skills and actions in sequence and in combinationVary the way they perform skills by using simple tactics and movement phrasesPlan, use, adapt and develop strategies and use their knowledge of the principles behind strategiesApply rules and conventions for different activitiesIdentify what makes a performance effective and suggest improvements based on this informationUnderstand how important it is to be activeRecognise and describe how their bodies feel during different activitiesWarm up and prepare appropriately for different activitiesUnderstand why wearing appropriate clothing and being hygienic is good for their health and safety

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Thai Language and Thai Studies

We take our responsibility to uphold the traditions of our host nation very seriously. Children are taught reading and writing in Thai, as well as the oral traditions of the language. The language lessons are taken by suitably qualified native speaking Thai teachers. Children are also exposed to Thai Cultural lessons (Thai Studies) where they experience the cultural traditions of Thai festivals and beliefs, arts, music and singing. The Thai syllabus is approved by the Thai Ministry of Education and encourages children to improve their language skills in addition to developing an appreciation for Thai culture.

Communicate accurately, appropriately and effectively in writingCommunicate accurately, appropriately and effectively in speakingUnderstand and respond appropriately to what they readEnjoy and appreciate the variety of languageGain knowledge, understanding and appreciation of Thai culturePromote their personal development and their understanding of themselves and others.

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ACADEMIC RIGOUR

DISCIPLINE

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FLAIR

RESPECT

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How will my child learn to read?

Reading is the most important learning experience in which your child can engage.Children develop a range of skills from adults reading to them and, when older, with them. At each stage of their Early Years education, your child is learning through read-ing – at school and at home.

Pre- Nursery

Your child is:starting to take an interest in booksrealising that reading is funlearning how to hold books and how to look after themlearning that writing runs from left to right as you run your finger along the words when readingrealising that the words they read ‘tell’ the story, and that it will not changerealising that the more they read the same story, the more they can ‘join in’ as they begin to remember the wordslearning that a story makes sense with a beginning, middle and endlearning that the pictures link to the words written on the same pagelearning about feelings and emotions through the characters in a bookdeveloping language and noticing skills when asked to point things out in the pic-tures.

Nursery

In addition to consolidating their learning from Pre-Nursery, your child is now starting to:

remember a story when you ask them what happened in a bookexplain, with reasons, why they liked or disliked a book or its charactersrecognise the letters that they know within the writingthink about ‘why’ a person acted the way they did within a booklink characters in a book, and what they do, to people they know in ‘real life’ “mock read” – use the pictures to tell a story to another without being able to read the words.

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Reception

In addition to consolidating their learning from Pre-Nursery and Nursery, your child is:

learning to develop their communication skills by giving more detailed answers to questions about a bookstarting to point out letter sounds and words that they know within the bookstarting to use their letter sound knowledge (phonics) to read familiar words confi-dently and to try to read less familiar words using the same skillstarting to explain, with reasons, what a person ‘should’ have done if they disagree with the things that they didstarting to repeat a story without missing important events.

Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2)

Building on the skills still being developed from Reception and earlier, your child will now be helped to:

Use increasing phonics knowledge to decode wordsRead high-frequency words confidentlyBuild up a vocabulary of words which they recognise on sight (sight vocabulary)Use picture and context cues to attempt to read unfamiliar wordsPredict what will happen next in a story and explain their thinkingExpress their opinion of a text and explain why they like or dislike what they have read.

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How can you help your child’s reading at home?

It is important to remember that when your child begins to read words by themselves, using letter sounds, it is not the same as understanding the words that they have read.

“I can read the word “vet” – What does that mean?” (Year 1 child)

Reading is about understanding, and the more you share your child’s reading with them at home, the more they will understand it, and the more they will enjoy it too.

Read to your child every evening. Your child’s teacher will be happy to suggest books from the school library.When reading to your child, take your time, enjoying and talking about the pictures and the story. It can also be fun to make up special voices for some of the characters from the book.Make sure your child sees you reading as well. Our children want to imitate us, and the more they see us reading, the more they will want to as well.Talk about your child’s book with them, no matter how young, so that they take the time to think about the story and develop communication skills.Encourage your child to predict/guess what may happen in a book by looking at the cover and thinking about the title.Play games linked to the book – e.g. “I’m thinking of the page where the dog runs away – can you find it?”Help your child order events by acting out the story together.Encourage your child to tell the story in their own words without looking at the book.When your child begins to read by themselves encourage them to ‘work out’ a difficult word by using their letter sounds, the pictures and the other words next to it.Point out sounds/words within books that you know your child has learned at school.Link events within a book to your child’s personal life where possible in order to make the story more ‘real’ to them.

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What are Phonics?

Phonics are the building blocks of learning.

In English, phonics are the sounds letters make – either by themselves (a, b, c) orcombined (sh, th, ch). For example, “b” makes the sound at the beginning of bat (and not “bee”, like itsname).Similarly, “ch” makes the sound at the beginning of chair. The letter sounds (phonics) are different from the letter names throughout the alphabet. For this important reason children are not taught letter names until they know the letter sounds - letter names are of no help to children when reading or writing. Alphabetical order is only needed when using dictionaries, so we concentrate on the use of phonics within Literacy lessons throughout the Early Years to aidour children’s progress, and improve their reading.

Why are Phonics so Important?

Before schools started to learn to use of phonics, “flashcards” were often used. These required children to memorise given words and gave no opportunities for children to “work words out” - they either knew the given words or they did not. Fortunately, through the use of phonics, children are now able to read and write words independently—even if the words are unfamiliar to them. Using phonics is the best way for children to “work out” unfamiliar words, and for them to try to write a word that they do not know how to spell. They will use the “Law of Phonics”, which is to sound the word out.

Often, with the English language having so many rules, the words children write when they are young will not be spelt correctly. However, they will be readable andunderstood by others as they will be “Phonetically Correct”, and children in Early Years can often get a higher level for their writing through using phonics than if they relied on letter names/words they know through sight alone. The use of phonics also increases your child’s confidence in reading and writingEnglish. They are able to “try their best” independently through understanding thephonetic worth of letters, and this confidence helps them to progress a lot more quickly as a result.

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How is My Child Taught Phonics in School?

Children are introduced to phonics formally in Reception - although letter sounds would have been used in Nursery also. We use “Jolly Phonics” and “Letters and Sounds” to teach phonics to our children. These have been chosen as they include the use of songs, actions, stories, visual aids and games.

How can I Help My Child with Phonics at Home?

Please do not teach your child letter names before they know their letter sounds. It is natural for parents to want to pass the knowledge we have to our children, however, it is ever so difficult to “re-teach” a child that a letter makes a different sound to the one they think it does (its name). Your child will progress a lot quicker if they learn letter sounds first.Ask your child to show you what sounds they are learning in school and practise the sounds with your child as often as you can.Play “I-Spy” using letter sounds - this will help your child connect objects with the sounds that they are learning.Older children enjoy playing “hangman” (we do not use the “noose” in school how-ever!). Use letter sounds to play so that your child recognizes their learned sounds within words: s_ng (the “secret word here is “song”)While younger children will be working on writing the letters individually while saying each sound, older children will be able to combine the sounds to make CVC words (consonant, vowel, consonant), or even longer words. Asking for your child’s help with your writing (such as writing a shopping list) will help them to understand why their sounds are so important.

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What homework will my child be expected to do?

Rationale for homework

Homework is an integral part of the BIST school curriculum for the following reasons:

It consolidates and extends children’s learning.It enables children to be prepared for forthcoming tasks.It promotes independent study and organisation and research skills.It promotes learning opportunities that are not readily available in the classroom.It enables parents to be in touch with their children’s schoolwork.

Your child’s teacher will set suitable homework tasks with one or more of these aims in mind, and tasks will be linked to the ‘in class’ curriculum.

Homework allocation

At Early Years, we recognize that the age of the children makes formal homework less appropriate. However, we also know how important it is to prepare the children for the homework they are likely to receive in Key Stage 2 and above.

Pre-Nursery and Nursery

Parents are encouraged to engage in shared reading of a library book for at least 10 minutes each day.

Reception, Year 1 and Year 2

Parents are encouraged to engage in shared reading of a library book for at least 10 minutes each day. Parents should also share with their children the letter sounds and words they are learning in lessons. Children will also be given one ACTIVITY SHEET each Friday to complete at home. This will focus on an aspect of their learning in class, and should usually be completed by the following Friday.

Teacher responsibilities

To provide homework that can be completed by your child (with some help) at home.To ensure your child understands what they have to do before sending homework home.

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How will the school communicate with me?

We encourage parents to support their child’s learning and keep them informed of the areas studied in school in a number of ways:Information regarding whole school learning opportunities (such as events and class trips) can be found both in the school Newsletters and the Weekly Update from the Head of Early Years.A general overview of the activities individual classes have enjoyed can be found in the school Newsletters.An overview for parents outlining what your child will be learning in class is sent home at the beginning of every half-term. The overview has been written in a child-friendly manner so that your children are able to discuss their learning with you at home.Communication Books are used daily within Pre-Nursery and Nursery in order to inform parents of the activities completed in class.Within Reception and Key Stage 1 (Years 1 & 2), a weekly email is sent to parents every Friday in order to inform parents of the work completed in class. In the event that a parent does not have an email address, the Communication Books are used to send this weekly update.Early Years teachers are available before school (from 7:30am), and after school (until 4:00pm), in order to address any questions or concerns parents may have regarding their child’s learning. The Head of Early Years is also available at these times should further explanation be required.Coffee mornings with the Head of Early Years and a class teacher are held every Wednesday, should a parent have a minor question or concern that they need addressed.

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How well is my child doing?

We want every child to enjoy success and make progress with us, and continu-ous assessment takes place to ensure this is happening. We use assessment to inform us of the pupil’s:

ability, and where their strengths and weaknesses lieattainment, and how well they are performing in relation to their peersachievement, and how well they are performing in relation to their own potentialprogress over time, and what the need to do in order to improve.

Our assessment also identifies, in particular, opportunities to celebrate and praise a child’s achievement and progress and circumstances where we need to intervene in order to support or extend their learning.

Assessment usually takes the form of:observations made by the Class Teacher or Teaching Assistantopen questions and discussion to gauge children’s understanding/thinkingwork completed by the pupil in class or at homepeer and self-assessment, where appropriate.

Pre-Nursery and Nursery

Formal assessment is not appropriate for our youngest pupils. Children in Pre-Nursery and Nursery are observed on a regular basis by their class teacher and teaching assis-tants. These observations highlight key successes and milestones, as well as areas in which the child could develop and improve further. Outcomes are shared informally with children as part of ordinary, daily interactions, and your child’s teacher will always be happy to discuss with you as well.

Reception, Year 1 and Year 2

Children in Reception and Key Stage 1 sit more formal assessments at the end of the academic year to highlight strengths and areas for development. Assessment at Early Years is currently being developed further to include baseline assessments at the be-ginning of the academic year for Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2) pupils. Children in Key Stage 1 are also encouraged to participate in tracking their own progress, by setting themselves targets and celebrating their achievements through use of their “Target and Assessment” books.

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What if my child needs additional support?

Additional Languages

Children who speak Chinese, Korean or German at home are offered lessons within their weekly timetable.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Children requiring additional support with their English skills are offered EAL lessons daily. These include sessions within and outside the classroom, depending on the topic studied and individual needs.

Thai for Foreigners at EY

Children for whom Thai is an additional language are taught Thai by a native Thai speak-er under the guidance of the Thai class teacher.

Special Educational Needs (SEN) at EY

Children with identified Special Educational Needs are monitored by their class teacher in the first instance and a Record of Concern (RoC) or Individual Education Plan (IEP) is produced as appropriate. These would be shared with parents and reviewed on a regular basis. Parents will be contacted should the school feel that your child would benefit from additional professional support offered by outside bodies.

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The Role of Teaching Assistants (TAs) at EY

Each class within Early Years has their own TA (sometimes two, depending on the number of children within the class) in addition to the teacher (and, in Pre-Nursery and Nursery, their Nanny). The main role of the TA is to support children in their learning under the guidance of the class teacher. Other tasks performed by the TA include pre-paring resources, displaying children’s work and communicating with parents who may not speak English confidently enough in order to raise questions or concerns with their child’s teacher directly.

Pastoral Care at EY

The children are mostly taught by their assigned class teacher, who also looks after their pastoral needs. The class teacher is responsible for keeping records of the chil-dren’s achievements and producing termly progress reports about each child for parents. Any queries regarding your child’s academic progress, emotional or social requirements should be addressed to the class teacher in the first instance. Should you wish to discuss aspects of your child’s development further at any time, please contact the Head of Early Years.

COME AND VISIT OUR PRIMARY & SECONDARY CAMPUS

ON SUWINTHAWONG ROAD

UNIVERSITY PLACEMENTS INCLUDE:

University of OxfordKing’s College LondonMichigan State University University of GlasgowUniversity of WarwickUniversity of BathDurham UniversityUniversity of EdinburghLeeds Metropolitan UniversityVistula University, WarsawUniversity of HullUniversity of RoehamptonLoughborough University

The University of BirminghamThe Arts University BournemouthUniversity of EssexLoughborough UniversityPlymouth UniversityUniversity of SussexNorthwestern University USALondon School of EconomicsUniversity of SheffieldSwansea UniversityChulalongkorn UniversityMahidol University

Early Years Campus344 Mu 12 Ramkamhaeng 164 Rd, Minburi, Bangkok 10510

Tel: 0-2540-7122-3 Fax: 0-2540-7124

Primary and Secondary Campus55 Mu9 Windsor Park Golf Club, Suwinthawong Rd,

Minburi Bangkok 10510Tel: 0-2989-4873 Fax: 0-2989-4094