Our ethos

 

We believe that children learn and develop best when they are able choose where and what they play. Being engaged in an activity that interests them in a well-resourced activity area creates the right mindset for learning to take place. With the support and timely intervention of their key person, children are able to learn and make progress. We use this approach to build the foundations of children's learning and development so they can flourish when they go forward into their school lives.

 

Session schedule

 

Here’s a brief run down of a typical morning or afternoon session at Longparish Little School.

 

• Children are welcomed into Little School, hang up bags and coats and self register by placing their name card on the door.

• Free play in any of the activity areas. 

• Snack time runs alongside the free play. Children are offered a healthy snack and the choice of milk or water to drink.

• Tidy up time.

• Story and singing.

• Parents come to collect children.

 

Children who stay for a morning and afternoon session, or stay for lunch are able to bring their own packed lunch or purchase a cooked meal from Longparish Primary School (lunches cost £3.50 per day, invoiced at the end of each month).

 

    

Key workers

 

All children and families have a designated key person. This person will support you and your child to settle into the Little School environment. You can talk to your key person informally at the beginning or end of sessions or at any time can arrange to meet up for a chat. The key person can also do a home visit, if you feel that will assist the settling in process. 

All key persons have been supported by a ‘buddy’ key person, an additional person your child and family can go to in the absence of your key person. We have implemented this as children, especially those settling in, can make strong attachments more easily to two people.

 

 

Activities

 

Having a range of activities on offer helps to develop the children's ability to select and work through different tasks. They are encouraged to take part in adult-led activities which introduce them to new experiences and help them to gain new skills. They are also encouraged to play in small groups, giving them the opportunity to interact and work alongside others.

 

We often use the school hall for indoor activities such as sports with the Andover Lions, parachute games, music and dancing.

 

We believe that outdoor activities contribute to the children’s health, physical development and their knowledge and understanding of the world around them. We therefore encourage all children to take part in both child-led and adult-led outdoor activities. Our outdoor area is available all year round and includes a mud kitchen, sandpit and outdoor canopy area. In the spring of 2021 we raised enough money to resurface the outdoor area with artificial grass, in keeping with our countryside surroundings. We installed an enclosed nature area with planters to grow fruit and vegetables, and a brand new slide. 

There is a bird table and a bird box with a camera in it which is connected to the children's computer. The children really enjoy watching the birds go about their daily business!

 

To enhance the experience of our children and to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world we organise several visits outside the immediate Little School vicinity. In the last year visits have been made to Hillier Gardens, the Lights Theatre and Apple Shaw Farm to see some lambs being born. 

 

We also welcome visitors into playgroup to talk and work with the children. Recent visitors have included police liaison officers, Reverend Hemming and Reverend Marsden. Regular visitors include coaches from Andover Lions Football Club who coach the children every Friday. 

 

 

Recording progress - Famly Online

 

Longparish Little School uses an online learning journal called Famly to record daily progress. We trialled this in the summer term of 2020 with a group of parents and found that it works really well for both Little School and the families. One of the benefits is that it generates next steps for each child that both the Little School and parents can work towards. You can also add your own photos or observations, so we can see what your child does at home.

 

 

Early Years Learning

 

We are registered with Ofsted and Hampshire County Council as a provider of Early Years Education. We operate according to current Ofsted legislation.

 

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework is what we use to guide our planning for the learning and development of the children in our Playgroup.

 

If you would like any more information than this or have questions about the EYFS please talk to us or visit the EYFS Website.