BA (Hons)and PGCE Primary Education & Teaching Programmes
ALL YEAR GROUPS
Working in the Foundation Stage
Extra Guidance for School Experience
To be read in conjunction with theappropriateSERE Handbook for School Experience and theGeneric School Experience Handbookfor Primary Education Programmes
2014 – 2015
CONTENTS
Page
A note to Foundation Stage mentors 2
Introduction 3
The School Experience Requirements and
Expectations (SERE)Schedule of Dates 4
- SEREWeekly Overview 4
- School-based learning tasks 4
Key requirements of our Early Years student teachers
and how these might look in Foundation Stage settings 6
1Whole Class teaching 6
2Observing and undertaking teaching in ‘other classes; 7
3Lesson Planning 7
Assessment of student teachers in Foundation Stage settings: 8
Some specific advice for student teachers in Foundation Stage placements
The nature of good Foundation Stage practice – what to aim for9
Play11
The EYFS curriculum13
Planning16
- Planning for adult-led activities17
- Planning for child-led activities17
The learning environment19
Assessment20
Professional relationships22
Components of a good teaching in Foundation Stage placements23
Developing your own knowledge and understanding24
A note to Foundation Stage mentors:
Thank you very much for giving time and energy to supporting our Early Yearsand or Primary student teachers in your establishment. The good practice that they witness and develop here will help them become good teachers who are proficient, intelligent and sensitive in meeting young children’s needs and supporting their development and learning in appropriate ways.
What follows is some advice about some key considerations that will inform the expectations that you should have of our students and the opportunities thatthey should receive during their time with you. We hope you find this advice useful. If you would like some extra guidance or clarification about this advice and how it might be reflected in your particular setting, then please do not hesitate to contact Wayne Stallard on 01243 812040, or by e-mail at .
INTRODUCTION
This booklet contains advice about how student teachers can demonstrate their progress towards the Teachers’Standards while based in Foundation Stageplacements.
Most Nurseries and many Reception classes do not operate like most classes in Key Stages One or Two, and can sometimes seem bewildering to the untrained eye. Student teachers unfamiliar with Early Years Foundation Stage principles and practice can sometimes wonder how to operate as teachers if it looks like the children in their setting are playing, running around and doing whatever they want without any structure or imposed educational agenda or expectations. But such appearances are deceiving and this is not the case.
Student teachers can demonstrate their influence on Nursery and Reception children’s learning by focussing on the aspects of teaching and learning discussed in the rest of this booklet.
NB:A note about the terms ‘school experience’ and ‘lessons’:
The term ‘school experience’ is used to identify the components of student teachers’ training that require them to practice and develop their knowledge skills and practice of teaching; in other words, it is about the status of the placement experience that they will undertake with you. The term ‘school experience’ differentiates the type of placement experience that the students will undertake during this time from other possible Foundation Stage experience that they might have at other times - as part of their subject study modules or Special Interest Placements, for example.
The term ‘school experience’ does not signify that it is expected that the student teachers will necessarily be placed in schools: indeed, the whole point of placing our Early Years student teachers in nursery settings is that they will experience good quality nursery practice in a range of settings not limited to those that categorise themselves as ‘schools’.
Similarly, the word ‘lesson’ sounds as if a formal teacher-led session is always required but, of course, it is not. A ‘lesson’ can consist of the facilitation of useful child-led discovery learning or play, with the student teacher in an active and observant role, leading or supporting the children’s learning as seems appropriate. A ‘lesson observation’ therefore, can be of the student teacher engaged in any of these types of activity in a pro-active and substantial manner.
THE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS AND
EXPECTATIONS (SERE) SCHEDULE OF DATES
Each phase of school experience is supported by a specific SERE document. The inside front cover of each of these identifies the schedule of lesson observations, link tutor visits (and so on) that is expected for that particular cohort of students. This schedule of activity is also identified in the Weekly Overview that can be found further on in each SERE document.
It is often the case that these SERE documents indicate that certain lesson observations are to be focused on the teaching of particular NC core subjects. Clearly this will not apply to lesson observations in nursery settings, and might not to lesson observations in Reception class settings. What is expected is that students are observed teaching in the closest related Area of Learning and Development (e.g. ‘Communication and Language’ or ‘Literacy’ when the SERE document says ‘English’, ‘Problem-solving, Reasoning and Numeracy’ when it says ‘Mathematics’, and the ‘The World’ strand of ‘Understanding the World’ when it says ‘Science’).
It would also be useful for at least one lesson observation during the placement to be focused on the teaching of PSED, as this is an area of such importance in nursery practice.
School Experience Requirements and Expectations (SERE) Weekly Overview
Rather similarly, the Weekly Overviews contained in each SERE document often refer to the expectation that student teachers will teach the NC core subjects. This will not apply to students based in nursery settings, and might not in Reception classes (depending on each setting’s relative use of the EYFS and the NC). What is expected from such students instead is that they take developing responsibility to teach at least all three Prime EYFS Areas of Learning and Developmentplus the Specific Area of Learning and Development ‘Mathematics’ (if based in Nursery settings) or all seven EYFS Areas of Learning and Development (if based in Reception class settings) as they progress through their school experience placement. Mentors and link tutors should look for evidence of students having taken on this range of responsibility when it comes to their final assessment review.
School-based learning tasks
Each phase of school experience includes the requirement for students to complete specific school-based learning tasks (which are detailed in the SERE document for their cohort). These are learning activities in the areas of English, Mathematics and Science, and are set by the Programme’s curriculum teams.
Students might find that the wording of several of these might be more obvious to apply to Key Stage 1 or Key Stage 2 settings. What is required is a little bit of common-sense interpretation. Students should try to identify what the gist and focus of each school-based learning task are, then (in conjunction with you and the link tutor) identify how these things find expression in nursery settings. Doing this will help identify what students should be observing and recording.
For example, one current school-based learning task (at time of writing) asks students to observe at least three sessions each of the teaching of reading and writing. Students based in classrooms with older children will have no difficulty working out what this means, but this might not be so obvious for student teachers based in nursery settings.
They could, however, focus their observations on things such as:
- sharing books and stories with children
- the graphics area in the nursery
- the encouragement given to children to write their names on paintings and drawings
- mark-marking of any description
- the use of the book-corner
- the presentation and use of text in different parts of the learning environment
- the use of writing-for-a-purpose in role-play (pads and pens for waiting staff to use in a role-play cafe, for instance)
- any phonetic play, experimentation, modelling and reinforcement (as identified in Phase One of Letters and Sounds), and so on.
Nursery and Reception class mentors will have a good idea of the work that their nursery does in such areas. In addition, nursery and Reception class mentors will also be able to help their students decide how best to interpret and to complete these school-based learning tasks successfully.
KEY REQUIREMENTS OF OUR EARLY YEARS STUDENT TEACHERS,
AND HOW THESE MIGHT LOOK IN FOUNDATION STAGE SETTINGS
Our student teachers are expected to carry out a range of activities, duties and tasks during each phase of school experience that they undertake. How well these activities, tasks and duties have been achieved is assessed against the Teachers’ Standards(see below), and successful achievement of them is necessary for the student teachers to be recommended for the QTS award. Consequently, it is necessary for all our student teachers to receive sufficient opportunityto demonstrate such achievement while in their Foundation Stage placements.
Some of the key requirements made of all student teachers might seem rather out-of-place in many nursery or Reception class settings, particularly whole-class teaching, observing and undertaking teaching in other classes (if there are no other ‘classes’), and even lesson planning (if a nursery setting does not categorise its work with children as ‘lessons’). What follows is some advice towards ensuring that Foundation Stage-based student teachers get proper opportunities to demonstrate successful practice in these areas, but in ways that complement and flow naturally with good quality nursery and Reception class practice:
1Whole-class teaching
All student teachers are expected to plan for and teach the whole class of children that they have been placed with as they progress through school experience. For students based in Key Stage One and Key Stage Two (and Reception, to some extent) this means that student teachers are expected to teach all of the children in the class at same time (e.g. introduce a lesson to the whole group, lead a lesson’s plenary, etc.). Clearly, this model does not apply to student teachers in nursery settings. What is expected instead are the following two things:
a)Planning and offering learning activities that are inclusive, available and accessible to all the children in the nursery, should they wish to take part.
b)Planning and offering learning activities across all the different parts of the nursery environment (e.g. graphics area, role-play area, large construction play area, outdoor area, etc.), so that all the possible areas have been taught in by the end of the placement.
In other words, all student teachers should have planned and offered inclusive and accessible learning experiences in each area of the nursery environment by the end of school experience. It would be very useful if, early in the placement, each student teacher and mentor could agree on a rotationfor the student teacher’s planning and teaching responsibilities across the different environmental areas (e.g. Week 1: graphics area; Week 2: large construction play area; Week 3: outdoor area, etc.).
2Observing and undertaking teaching in ‘other classes’:
If the nursery provision is organised by areas / rooms catering for children of different ages, then it would also be expected that student teachers have observed practice and planned and offered some learning experiences in all these areas / rooms by the end of the placement. (Each student teacher can have one particular area / room as their home base, of course.)
If a student teacher is in a nurserythat does not have different areas / rooms in this manner, then the expectation is that the student teacher observe practice by a range of staff, particularly as these staff cater for their own particular key worker groups (if the nursery has these).
(Obviously, if the nursery ispart of a school, then student teachers would be expected to observe practice and plan and undertake some teaching is some of the other classes in the school –particularlythe Reception class, if this is separate, as this would give a very good idea about the school’s approach to Foundation Stage provision overall).
3Lesson Planning
All student teachers are required to demonstrate their ability to ‘plan and teach well-structured lessons’ (Standard 4). As noted above, the word ‘lesson’ sounds as if a formal teacher-led session is always required but, of course, it is not. A ‘lesson’ can consist of the facilitation of useful child-led discovery learning or play, with the student teacher in an active and observant role, leading or supporting the children’s learning as seems appropriate.
Student teachers are advised to plan an equal amount of adult-led activities and opportunities for child-led activities during their placement. Most importantly, they areexpected to plan and facilitate opportunities for children to play productively. Student teachers are advised that most of the adult-led activities that they plan and the child-led activities that they facilitate should contain a very large component of play.
Student teachers are required to record their lesson plans on the University of Chichester Lesson Plan Proforma (see exemplar on the Partnership Website). The University of Chichester link tutor attached to your setting will be very happy to go through this with you.
More detailed advice about lesson planning in nursery and Reception class settings can be found below.
ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT TEACHERS IN FOUNDATION STAGE SETTINGS
The progress of all student teachers is measured by their achievement against the currentTeachers’ Standards and their ability to demonstrate appropriate personal and professional conduct as identified in these Standards.
There are eight different Teachers’ Standards, categorised as follows. Each Standard is used to measure student teachers’ progress and achievements in a particular area of professional work:
1)Set high expectations which inspire, motivate and challenge pupils
2)Promote good progress and outcomes by pupils
3)Demonstrate good subject and curriculum knowledge
4)Plan and teach well-structured lessons
5)Adapt teaching to the strengths and needs of all pupils
6)Make accurate and productive use of assessment
7)Manage behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment
8)Fulfil wider professional responsibilities
It would be worthwhile for the mentor and student teacher to go through all the Teachers’ Standards early on during the placement and have a conversation about what type of Foundation-Stage-based professional work would count as evidence against them. The definitive University of Chichester ‘Good Practice Guide for Mentors and Link Tutors’document would be most helpful here. All settings have received copies of this, and it is downloadable from:
Some specific advice for student teachers in Foundation Stage placements:
Mentors and Link Tutors: please read this section too.
THE NATURE OF GOOD FOUNDATION STAGE PRACTICE – what to aim for:
One of the four overarching principles of the EYFS (see below) is entitled ‘A Unique Child’. It is important that you demonstrate sensitivity to individual children’s needs and achievements. You can do this through:
1)Positive and responsive relationships with the children (and their families, where possible).
2)Good observation and assessment of individual children’s needs and progress.
3)Planning and preparing resources and the environment to facilitate children’s own explorations and discoveries (i.e. planning opportunities for child-led activities).
4)Planning adult-led activities that have been designed to respond to and build upon individual children’s needs and progress.
5)Interacting thoroughly, constructively and reassuringly with children to help them build upon their discoveries, explorations and interests.
Please note that the Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Report (2004) concluded that:
Effective pedagogy includes interaction traditionally associated with the term ‘teaching’, the provision of instructive learning environments and ‘sustained shared thinking’ to extend children’s learning. SylvaK et al(2004:ii)
‘Interaction traditionally associated with the term ‘teaching’’refers to all teacher-led learning experiences that you plan and teach.
‘Instructive learning environments’ refers to the layout, design, resources, presentation and use of both outdoor and indoor environments to inform, enrich and facilitate children’s learning.
‘Sustained shared thinking’…
occurs when two or more individuals ‘work together’ in an intellectual way to solve a problem, clarify a concept, evaluate an activity, extend a narrative, etc. Both parties must contribute to the thinking and it must develop and extend the understanding. SylvaK et al(2004:vi)
Mentors and link tutors will look for your contribution to all three of these factors when considering and assessing your progress. They will also look for your contribution to the following elements of good nursery practice (as identified by Ofsted2007):
•How well providers support children’s enjoyment of their play, learning and development…
•Children’s enthusiasm, sense of fun, and expressions of pleasure and satisfaction from meeting challenges and doing well…
•Children’s progress towards the early learning goals.
References:
Ofsted (2007:9) Early Years: Getting on well: enjoying, achieving and contributing, London, Ofsted. Ref. 070059
Sylva, K et al. (2004) The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Final Report, London, Sure Start / University of London
Development Matters in the EYFS (2012:6) also identifies the following ‘Characteristics of Effective Learning’:
Playing and exploring – engagement