Heathfield Infant School

Heathfield is a place where every child feels important, succeeds and aspires to something greater.We achieve this through a broad and exciting curriculum combined with a focus on individual needs and a nurturing and united community.We challenge our children to be the ambitious learners who strive for excellence and achievement across all aspects of school life. Children come first: everything we do is designed for their learning, enjoyment and success.Our goal is to enrich their lives both now and in the future.

The Early Years Foundation Stage starts in Nursery and continues to the end of Reception. Our ethos is to ignite children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning through the aspirational teaching and learning opportunities. The curriculum is based on a belief that children learn best through play and active learning. We deliver the EYFS framework by providing motivational learning experiences both indoors and outdoors. Our priority is to nuture and develop the potential of each individual by promoting the characteristics of effective teaching and learning.

Children in Nursery begin Phase 1 phonics during the Autumn term. They learn the Jolly Phonics songs to help them with their initial sounds. Phase 2 is introduced later in the year at the point at which it is assessed to be appropriate for the current group of children. In Reception a daily phonics session takes place in class groups and covers Phases 2-4 during the year. Home/school books support children with learning the sets of “tricky” words that cannot be broken down phonetically. In Years 1 and 2 every day starts with a phonics session in class groups. Year 1 revise the work covered in Reception and start Phase 5 after the first half term break. Year 2 revise the work of the previous years and then focus on Phase 6.

Whilst pupils will only have supervised access to the Internet and frequently be directed to specific, approved websites, there remains the risk that they may be able to move beyond these to sites unfamiliar to the teacher. The problems and issues surrounding children and their use of the Internet are well documented and there is a general concern that pupils might access unsuitable material either accidentally or deliberately. Heathfield Schools’ Partnership believes that the benefits afforded to pupils from the Internet access outweigh the disadvantages. To ensure that pupils’ access is as safe as possible the school uses a web filtering service but also aims to foster a responsible attitude to Internet use from pupils supported by the pupil internet agreement.

Heathfield Schools’ Partnership teaches Computing both as a discrete subject and as a tool for delivering teaching and learning experiences across the curriculum in accordance with the EYFS / National Curriculum and school based scheme of work. Children in all year groups will use the Internet in lessons in a variety of ways throughout the academic year.

As members of Heathfield Schools’ partnership we are committed to supporting all children with medical conditions who attend Heathfield Nursery and Infant school and Heathfield Junior School. All members of staff recognise their responsibility for ensuring all children feel safe and that our parents feel confident that we will provide effective support for their child’s medical condition. We will work together with the local authority,the health professionals and other support services to ensure that our children with medical conditions receive a full education. In some cases this will require flexibility and may involve part time attendance at school in combination with alternative provision arranged by the local authority.

Any member of school staff may be asked to provide support for a child with medical conditions, including the administering of medicines. Staff will only administer medicines and undertake healthcare procedures when they have had appropriate training or when sufficient written information is provided by the parents or pharmacist. Application of creams and lotions will be administered by staff giving the child the appropriate dosage on the hand. The child will then apply. Parents are key partners and will be involved in the development and review of their child’s individual healthcare plan. They will be asked to provide the school with sufficient and up-to-date information about their child’s medical needs and will carry out any action they have agreed to as part of its implementation, e.g. provide medicines and equipment and ensure they or another nominated adult are contactable at all times. Children who are competent will be encouraged to take responsibility for managing their own medicines and procedures. This will be reflected within their individual healthcare plan and an appropriate level of supervision given.

In the case of an emergency the procedures in a child’s EHCP will be followed and if necessary an ambulance called. If a child needs to be taken to hospital, a member of staff will stay with the child until the parent arrives, or accompany a child taken to hospital by ambulance.