Pastoral care: Supports the social and emotional health and wellbeing of children at school. Your child ' s school may blend pastoral care throughout teaching, but there may also be a separate dedicated team.
Family support: Extends pastoral care to parents, offering help with issues you may have in supporting your children at home or in school. Their team may include:
• Parent Support Advisers
• Family Liaison Officers
• Education Welfare Officers
SENCO / ALNCO: The Special Educational Needs Coordinator or Additional Learning Needs Coordinator. SENCOs / ALNCOs work with the families of children with special educational / additional learning needs to make sure they get the support they need.
Support in class
Your child ' s teacher will likely be supported by a Teaching Assistant( TA), Higher Level Teaching Assistant( HLTA) or Learning Support Assistant( LSA)
The ABCs of school lingo
ARE: Age related expectations
Circle time: The teacher brings the children together to share news or discuss values – the class sit in a circle on chairs or on the floor
Early Learning Goals( ELGs): Curriculum learning goals set for the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage( end of reception)
Fine motor skills: Skills that involve smaller muscles of the hands, like using a pencil, building with LEGO ® and doing up buttons
Free play: Children choose their own play activities( indoors or outdoors) with little adult direction or intervention
Golden time: Children stop work and spend time doing special, enjoyable activities for a period of up to an hour, usually on a Friday – used to promote positive behaviour
Gross motor skills: Skills that involve whole body movement like standing, walking, running and jumping – also includes hand-eye coordination skills like throwing, catching and kicking
Guided reading: A method of teaching that involves reading with children in small groups
INSET day: In-Service Education and Training days for teachers – also known as staff development days. A day off for the children!
Learning objective( LO) or We Are Learning To( WALT): Describes what children are expected to learn or achieve from a task or activity
Phonics: A method for teaching reading and writing by developing the ability to hear, identify and manipulate units of sound
Reception Baseline Assessment( RBA): A short assessment to measure language, communication, literacy and maths skills
Don’ t be afraid to put up your hand
You’ ve probably said this yourself, but if you don’ t understand something, ask the teacher! You’ re not expected to know everything
Images: istock. com / OwenPrice, isrtock. com / SolStock, Freepik
How your school might get in touch
Notices on the classroom door Forms, letters and reports
Emails from teachers, headteachers and governors
Updates on their website( there may be a page for each year group or class)
Apps and social media groups for the school and / or your child’ s class
How you can stay in touch
Write your child’ s name, class and what ' s inside on any envelopes sent in with your child
For a quick chat, try to catch the teacher at the door before or after school. For more in-depth discussions, book an appointment
Go to any meetings the teacher holds to update parents on what children will be learning( if you can’ t make it, ask for notes)
Attend parents’ evenings
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