Welcome to Hedgehog Class
'The Hoglets (Nursery) & The Hedgehog (Reception) staff are a happy, close-knit team who endeavour to make the children's transition into nursery and school an enjoyable and fun experience. We pride ourselves on the nurture we provide to the children in our care. Children learn best when they are content and feel secure. Settling the children into Arnside School life is our top priority when they start. Building solid relationships with the children and parents alike is the key foundation to starting the our very special learning journey'.
Mrs Sharp - (EYFS Lead)
Mrs Sharp
Class Teacher
Mrs Pearce
Class Teacher
Mrs Thompson
Teaching Assistant
What is the Foundation Stage?
The Foundation Stage begins in Nursery (Hoglets) and continues through to Reception (Hedgehogs). We help the children to learn through playing, exploring and being active. This means children will take part in a range of fun, practical activities; some of which are adult led, some guided by adults and some will be child-initiated.
We follow the EYFS Framework and Reforms and through our creative curriculum, based on knowledge and skills. Our curriculum is flexible and is adapted weekly and partly in the moment. The plans set are a starting point to support new experiences. They are all expendable where possible, following the planning in the moment cycle, observe, plan, teach, outcome. Your child will receive the best possible early year’s education.
The Seven Areas of Learning
Your child will be learning skills, acquiring new knowledge and demonstrating their understanding through 7 areas of learning:
Prime Areas
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Communication and Language Development
- Physical Development
Specific Areas
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
Applications for admission to Arnside National School Nursery will be prioritised using the criteria set out in our admissions policy.
Please contact the school office (Mrs Reid) for a Nursery brochure and application details on 01524 761159 or email admin@arnside.cumbria.sch.uk
Dropping off and collecting your child
When dropping off children in Hedgehog Class please wait on the playground outside of infant classrooms. When the doors open your child will be invited in by their class teacher and they will be greeted in the classroom by the teaching assistant. This is a good opportunity for parents/carers to inform the class teacher of any messages. If your child is being collected by someone other than you, we will write it down so that all staff are aware. If you are stuck in traffic or need to make a last-minute change to your collection arrangements, please call the school office on 01524 761159. If you haven’t told us of any changes, we will not let your child go home until we have spoken to you.
At the end of the school day collection is at 3:20pm in the playground outside the infant classroom. 
Hedgehog Class Expectations
We are kind and thoughtful to our We use our walking feet, and We choose it, use it and All of our expectations link
friends and adults, our quiet voices inside we put it away into our school values
Lunch
The children will join all the infants in the hall for their lunch. The children can bring a healthy packed lunch, or a hot meal can be ordered and paid for through the schools 'Lunch Shop' website. Please register with the school office to gain access to the booking portal.
Further Information:
Uniform
The school has a well-established policy of pupils wearing school uniform starting from Reception aged children up to year 6. Please refer to the uniform page in the 'Parent' section of the school website for full details.
Lunch Bags
If your child is bringing a packed lunch, we ask that you clearly label the outside of their lunch bag and their water bottle.
Book Bags
These are an important part of school life as they help to bring home books, pictures and letters. Children will be provided with their first book bag, kindly donated by our PTA. If this gets lost of damaged a replacement is available to buy from the school office. We ask that all book bags are in school every day. Please check it daily for letters, pictures and information.
Snack Time
We have fruit daily in the morning and will encourage all children to try different fruits. Please let us know about any food allergies. If your child has dietary requirements, we ask for you to provide a named box of treats to stay in class for those special times or topic related food tasting, ensuring that your child doesn't feel left out and has their own treat. Children also have milk or water. If your child requires milk this can be ordered through the Cool Milk website www.coolmilk.com. Milk is provided free of charge to children under the age of 5 but it is still necessary to register. We monitor who has had their drink and snack every day.
'WOW' Moments
We are really keen to know about any anything exciting or any achievements that occur for your child outside of school. They can share these with us and the class. We can provide a parent prompt sheet for you to add your child’s 'WOW' Moments onto or you can send them with a photograph via DoJo.
Toys
Please do not bring toys into the school as they can easily get lost or broken. The children may, on occasion, be asked to bring in a toy as part of a topic. Again, to avoid their toys getting lost or broken, they will be shared with the class but not played with during choosing time.
Topic
We will send home topic information via class DoJo or email, plus, ways on how to access further information links. For more detailed information on our EYFS curriculum please refer to the Curriculum planning section.
Dojo
You have a Class Dojo invite in your pack, please sign up! We use Class Dojo at school as a means of communication between school and parents. You can message us directly and we have a class news feed where you will be able to see all of the lovely activities that the children have been doing during their time in school. We also use Class Dojo to keep you up to date with events and meetings. Please download the app and sign up!
Request for absence
For children over the age of 5 the headteacher can no longer authorise absence for holidays in term time. It should be remembered that this is a Government led directive. Children are required to attended school for 38 weeks each year, leaving 14 weeks to attend family holidays. Any requests for term time absence should be made to Mr Sharp in writing or email.
Illness
If your child is unwell and cannot attend school, please inform the office on: 01524 761159 or email: admin@arnside.cumbria.sch.uk. Please can this be before 9:00am on each day of your child's absence. If we are not aware of any reason of your child's absence, the school administration staff will telephone parents. This contact will ensure all children have arrived safely at school. Children must always remain absent from school for a full 48 hours after any illness that includes vomiting and/or diarrhea.
We hope that this page has answered some of your questions but if you would like any further information – we will be very happy to help. Please call on: 01524 761159 or email: admin@arnsidecumbria.sch.uk
A Day in Hedgehog Class
