of policies - Broomwood Hall

Early Years Children: Information for parents (continued) – page 2
Equal opportunities policy
We welcome children from a diverse range of backgrounds. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive
community where there is complete equality of opportunity and everyone is valued for being him or
herself. Copies of the school’s ‘Equal Opportunities Policy’ may be viewed in our reception area or sent
to parents on request.
Our Staff
The Heads of the Lower School at Nightingale Lane and Garrad’s Road have day to day responsibility for
their school and its activities, including those of the Prep Classes. The individual Prep class teachers are
all qualified teachers who are assisted by full-time Classroom Assistants. Sport, French and music are
taught by specialist teachers.
Our daily routine for children in the Prep Classes
For the first ten days of the Michaelmas (autumn) term, children in the prep classes are collected daily at
noon. This is to ensure that the children have a gentle start to ‘big school’ and don’t become too tired in
their first couple of weeks. On the eleventh day they all have their first lunch and full day at school.
During the full school day, the children break at 10.30am for milk and biscuits and then go out to play.
Weather permitting they play outside in the garden. The children break for lunch and outdoor play at
around 12/12.30pm. After play, the prep classes have a short rest. All the prep children go home at
3.00pm.
Procedures when a child is not collected on time
Please refer to our separate policy: ‘Missing Child Policy & Procedures when a Child is not Collected on
Time’. A copy of this policy may be viewed in our reception area or sent to parents on request.
Our Foundation Stage Curriculum
At Broomwood Hall School we offer a broad and balanced Foundation Stage curriculum for our
youngest pupils which is based upon the Early Learning Goals and the six areas of learning. All children
are given equal access and opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills in:
1 Personal, social and emotional development
2 Communication, language and literacy
3 Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy
4 Knowledge and understanding of the world
5 Physical development
6 Creative development
All children learn through play with a mixture of child initiated and teacher led learning opportunities.
Learning takes place both indoors and outdoors. We introduce different topics which the children
explore through a variety of mediums, including books, art, clay, drama, music, ICT, crafts and model
making. We gradually introduce synthetic phonics and the basics of literacy are taught daily through a
structured reading scheme and rhyme. Numeracy is introduced through different activities, such as
counting games, weighing activities and measuring, and is also taught daily. All children are encouraged
to participate in dance, music and where possible, swimming. All children are gradually introduced to
the principles of writing, and to the use of computers. By the end of their Prep year, the children are
enthusiastic and confident learners, who are ready for the more structured, less play-based, environment
of Class 1.
Copies of the Lower School’s full ‘Curriculum Policy’ may be viewed in our reception area or sent to
parents on request