Transition

Your child has been offered a place at Whitegate End?! We are honored you chose us for this next big step in your little ones life, and we can't wait to meet you. What next?

• You will be invited to school for a meeting for parents some time in June, where you will meet the Early Years and wider school team, including the Headteacher and SENCo, receive important information about how the Early Years unit works and find some reassurance about those early concerns. At this meeting you will also book your home visit so we can come and meet your child too. (The presentation shared at this initial meeting can be found below)

• In July home visit will take place where Mrs Nicholl and another member of the Early Years team will come and meet your child at home. Children's homes are their safe space, where they feel most comfortable and is a great starting point for them to build a relationship with us.

• At Whitegate End we run our Stay and Play session at school very early in September. We understand that the summer is such a long time for young children and the session is a great opportunity for them to explore the unit, with you there as comfort, just before starting with us later in the week.

• Children in Reception start full time the day after the Stay and Play session. Nursery children are staggered into the unit within the first 1-2 weeks of the term.

• Following your child's first day we love to see parents in the cloakroom, helping their children to get organised for the day ahead. Goodbyes for the day happen here too and children make their way into class supported by a member of staff

Meet our amazing team 

Our Curriculum 

Our curriculum has been designed in line with what we know about early childhood development. Everything that is taught, played with, displayed, centers around providing the right approach, at the right time, for the right children. Our curriculum also links closely with Key Stage One, ensuring that children have the knowledge and skills they need to thrive throughout their Whitegate End journey. Practitioners are mindful that children cannot know where they're going, until they know where they've been. 

Please find the Early Years curriculum document below. The document includes our Why? and How? and details the What? for Nursery and Reception children, split into each half term.

We are also lucky to have Mrs Preen from the Music Service, join us every Monday morning to deliver the Tune into Talking programme.

Reception children have PE every Thursday morning with Oldham Athletic, and are asked to come to school in their PE kit on this day.

A very exciting time of the year is when the Reception children get to meet their Year 6 buddy!! Throughout the year children meet with their buddies to play, share a book and lots of other activities. 

Outdoor area

The children love our outdoor area which we access all year round. Children are welcome to play with their siblings and parents each day after school to make the most of our outdoor offer.

PHOTO COMING SOON

Nursery

Our Maintained Nursery is a Section 27 Governor Run Nursery.

We offer 24 places which are made up of full time, morning and afternoon sessions:

Full time 8:30am-3pm

Morning 8:30am-11:30am

Afternoon 12pm-3pm

The Early Years Unit is lead by Mrs J Nicholl, who ensures the planning and provision meets all of the Early Years curriculum and statutory requirements.

For information regarding our before and after school club please see 'Bright Stars' under the separate Community tab on the home page

Nursery readiness

• We expect that children starting Nursery will be able to independently access the toilet but may need help from time to time. Those children who are still toilet training will be supported by an adult to continue the toilet training routines at home. 

• Children will be able to operate around the unit much more independently if they are able to remove and put on their shoes, wellies and coat.

• At dinner time children are expected to be able to drink from an open cup and use a fork. Knives are super tricky and we will help children to develop this skill. Children are also given their dinner on a tray which they then carry to a table, practising managing this before starting Nursery would be really useful.

• Children really take off to a flying start in Nursery if they already know lots of nursery rhymes, action songs and know what numbers are. Children having lots of experiences with books, including how to take care of them and turn the pages, is a great start too! 

• Children can really get stuck into the provision if they already know how to treat toys and equipment with care. Playing with the toys appropriately, purposefully and with respect saves lots of time at the beginning of the year.

• The power of communication and language cannot be underestimated on entry to Nursery. Children settle much more quickly if they are able to make their needs and wants known to an adult, tell their peers about themselves and join in conversations. Please talk, talk, talk to your children.

Working with parents

As parents you play a vital role in the school life of your child and we love to have you on board! There are some things you can do to help..

• Please provide your child with a pair of wellies to keep in school 

• Parent open afternoons, once a half term, are a great way to see what your child has been learning about in school. They are usually 2-3pm. Three of the open afternoons include an important presentation from Mrs Nicholl about how we teach Phonics, Writing and Mathematics and what you can do at home to help. If you are unable to attend, another member of your family is more than welcome.

• Although we do not keep a food diary for each child, staff closely monitor children that are not eating very well in school. Staff will speak to parents if they are concerned about a child's eating habits. If you do not hear from us, you can presume they are doing great!

• All parents in Early Years are asked to download the Seesaw app onto their smart phones as a means of communicating with the Early Years team. It is a vital tool for sharing what the children are learning and sending reminders and messages.

• Parents of children in Reception will also be asked to download a Collins eBooks app onto an iPad or tablet in order to access their child's reading book at home.

• Mr Hollingsworth weekly newsletter is a great way to keep up with all the exciting things we have going on across school. It also has a link to the school diary which syncs with your own, so you never miss a thing! The weekly newsletter can be found on our Facebook page.