Each child is unique and will develop at different rates. At Riddings Infant and Nursery School we support every child to reach their full potential and have a range of services available to support those children who require additional support. 

We work closely with parents to ensure there are strong links between learning at school and at home and where possible run workshops to support parents with their child's learning. 

This page is designed to signpost you to different websites and resources that you can use to support your child's learning. 

Communication and Language 

Communication and language is a vital skill that children need to develop in order to access all other areas of the curriculum. In the Early Years, communication and language is of high priority in both Nursery and Reception. We model good and age/stage appropriate speech with the children, have a high focus on communication and language during our carpet sessions and immerse the children in rich vocabulary. As well as the work we do in school, the support you provide your children with is vital for their communication and language skills. If you would like more information about how you can support your children with their communication and language skills, follow the links below.

If your child already attends our setting and you have concerns about their communication and language, please speak to their class teacher. 

If your child has not yet started our setting and you have concerns about their communication and language, please speak to your child's Health Visitor. 

Physical Development 

Physical development in the EYFS consists of two aspects: gross motor and fine motor. The Statutory Framework for Early Years Foundation Stage (2021) states: ‘Gross motor skills provide the foundation for developing healthy bodies and social and emotional well-being. Fine motor control and precision helps with hand-eye co-ordination, which is later linked to early literacy.’

The NHS guidance states that: 'Pre-schoolers (aged 3 to 4) should spend at least 180 minutes (3 hours) a day doing a variety of physical activities spread throughout the day, including active and outdoor play. The 180 minutes should include at least 60 minutes (1 hour) of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity.'

In the Early Years, we provide the children with a range of opportunities for the children to develop their gross motor and fine motor skills. In nursery, the children take part in balance bike training and Reception they have scooter workshops. Reception also have weekly P.E lessons which are delivered by Amber Valley coaches or the Class Teacher. Children in both Reception and Nursery have the opportunity to develop their physical skills within the indoor and outdoor environment. 

The children also take part in Dough Disco which is a fine muscle exercise. The children mould play dough in time to music and perform different actions, such as rolling a ball or sausage, flattening it and dancing each finger in the dough. These exercises improved fine motor control and gross motor skills. Dough disco helps prepare children for writing. 

Reading

Children who read regularly or are read to regularly have the opportunity to open the doors to so many different worlds! More importantly, reading will give your child the tools to become independent life-long learners.

We can achieve this together through:

• Read Write Inc (RWI), a program to help to your child read at school
• Encouraging children to develop a love of books by reading to them daily, at home and at school
• Giving children access to a wide range of books at school and at home

Reading books at home is important for your child's learning and development. It promotes reading for pleasure, develops communication and language and increases children's vocabulary. Follow the links below for recommended reading books for children aged 3-5 years.

Book Trust - Best Books for 0-5 year olds - https://www.booktrust.org.uk/booklists/1/100-best-0-5/

Scholastic Book Lists and Recommendations - https://www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/book-lists-and-recommendations/book-lists---recommendations-for-ages-3-5.html

Your child will start RWI towards the end of their time in Nursery and will continue with phonics throughout Reception and KS1. If you would like more information about the Read Write Inc phonics programme and videos on how you can support your child, follow the links below. 

Pre-phonics 

Pre-phonics, or Phase 1 phonics, is intending to develop children’s listening, vocabulary and speaking skills. In order for children to be ready for pre-phonics they need to have early communication skills, developed through daily speaking and listening with those around them. These skills will include:

• Understanding simple words, sentences and conversations.
• Talking using words and sentences. This is often called ‘expressive language’
• Saying speech sounds correctly so they can be understood by others.
• Knowing how to use their language socially. For example, listening as well as talking, or talking to a teacher differently than to a friend. This is often called ‘pragmatic language’

Children will develop these communication skills when they are engaged regularly with adults modelling good listening and speaking, listening to songs and rhymes and being given opportunities to share their understanding. They will learn their core communication skills from the adults that are in their lives the most, which makes it very important to model the kind of speaking and listening skills that you want them to develop.

• Listen to encourage talking: listen without interruptions, focusing on what is being said, give waiting time for responses.
• Model good listening: make eye contact, ask questions, comment on what has been said
• Provide a model for good speaking: use new vocabulary to help extend language, speak in clear simple sentences, repeat back  speech adding new words or more detail

A good document for teaching pre-phonic skills is the Department for Education’s “Letters and Sounds“. This organises the pre-phonic skills into seven aspects and three strands.The seven aspects don’t have to be taught in order and can be adapted to the needs of the child.

Seven Aspects of Pre-phonics

1. Environmental sounds – to raise children’s awareness of the sounds around them and to develop their listening skills.
2. Instrumental sounds – to develop children’s awareness of sounds made by various instruments and noise makers.
3. Body percussion – to develop children’s awareness of sounds and rhythms (e.g. clapping and stamping).
4. Rhythm and rhyme – to develop children’s appreciation and experiences of rhythm and rhyme in speech.
5. Alliteration – to encourage children to distinguish initial sounds in words
6. Voice sounds – to distinguish between different vocal sounds and to hear separate sounds.
7. Oral blending and segmenting – to recognise individual letter sounds and hearing that d-o-g makes ‘dog’

Each aspect is divided into three strands for developing different skills:

1. Tuning in to sounds (the ability to detect similarities and differences when listening to sounds)
2. Listening and remembering sounds (is the ability to recall information that has been given orally and recall in the correct order)
3. Talking about sounds (developing vocabulary and understanding language)

By regularly engaging with games, songs and activities linked to these areas children will develop their listening skills, their awareness of sounds and phonetics. It should always be fun and children will get much more out of it if they are excited to do the activity – the more enthusiasm you bring, the more they will reciprocate. When they have mastered these skills, they are ready to begin phonics. However, if they struggle with some aspects, it is best to practise these further before moving on. As with any learning, the more practise that is done the better you get.

Follow the links below for ideas that you could do with your child at home.

Writing

Maths