| Variant title |
Early years foundation stage : leaders |
| Variant title |
Early years foundation stage : teaching and learning |
| Variant title |
Early years foundation stage : support staff |
| Variant title |
Early years foundation stage : parents |
| Series |
Literacy - the whole story ; 4
|
| Abstract |
At Erdington Hall School in Birmingham a newly-appointed headteacher believes that the key to taking her school out of the OFSTED underachieving category is effective foundation stage literacy. The school is fairly socially deprived, 50% take free meals, 70% have English as an additional language.Far from battening down the hatches, the school decides to change its foundation stage approach, making play central. A new foundation stage leader is appointed and we see her in her nursery. We follow two new reception teachers with both literacy and PSHE activities. Pivotally, the school use performance data to track the children's weaknesses and the impact of the changes they are making. We look at the school's phonics initiative and hear that the children are remembering sounds and letters more effectively with this approach.Finally we learn that the school is re-inspected, comes out of the category and has its foundation stage teaching graded as both good and outstanding. |
| Abstract |
Erdington Hall School in Birmingham has reviewed foundation stage literacy during the last year. We see how the foundation stage leader promotes quality play-based experiences in nursery and how these are built on by the two reception teachers. Reception is preparing to visit a zoo. They role play booking their visit by phone. They draw and annotate maps of the zoo, practising animal names phonetically. On the trip, practitioners tape record the excited, high quality speaking for later use in story writing. Children are encouraged to read environmental print and some read the map to guide themselves around. Children use basic video cameras to film the animals and their friends. Back at school, they write about their experience, using their own video as a prompt. They are encouraged to use their letter sounds, building their confidence as writers.The practitioners, together with an expert from the local authority, reflect on how these experiences impact on the children's learning. |
| Abstract |
Erdington Hall Primary School faces the challenges of economic deprivation and a culturally diverse, highly mobile community. So when young children start off in Nursery and Reception, planning for literacy is a priority heavily dependent on their support staff's skills and commitment. In the programme we highlight moments in the teaching assistants routine that show the breadth of the work they undertake e.g. making observations; play-based learning; EAL and special needs support; group & whole class work; team planning. All the TAs complete NVQ training which has helped professionalise their role. They lead phonics-based activities, organise the outdoor as well as the indoor classroom and accompany the YR on a zoo trip. The way the FS team deliver the literacy curriculum allows for child-initiated activities, often very demanding of the staff. As the FS co-ordinator explains, We just couldn't do it without our support staff. This programme shows just how they succeed. |
| Abstract |
Children typically spend about 20% of their time at school. So how do parents support literacy for the other 80% of children's lives, and harness all the benefits of their cultural diversity? At Erdington Hall, Birmingham we see how the head's policy to involve Early Years Foundation Stage parents more closely is paying dividends, helping children to become confident readers, writers, speakers and listeners. It is well known from research that children make excellent progress with support from home. Erdington Hall aims to build on parents skills and enthusiasms, particularly when many of their families have English as an additional language. We see a range of parents in the classrooms and outside, sharing storytime and writing sessions, attending a writing workshop, helping on an educational visit to the zoo, as well as being interviewed. The school recognizes parents as their children's first teachers and has got them on side to provide a rich literacy learning environment. |
| General note | Title from resource description page (viewed Mar. 5, 2012). |
| Other forms | Previously released as DVD. |
| Language | This edition in English. |
| Genre/form | Instructional television programs. |
| Genre/form | Nonfiction television programs. |
