Welcome to our Waterbeach School Early Years Foundation Stage Page.

Our EYFS classes are:

Panthers – Ms Bienzobas / Mrs Rowe

Leopards – Mrs Mills 

Tigers – Mrs Conroy

In the Foundation Stage we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework. The EYFS is divided into 3 prime areas of learning and development. The prime areas are important for building a foundation for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, forming relationships and thriving at school; and four specific areas, through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied. 

All areas of learning and development are important and interconnected. Our aim at Waterbeach is to develop your child’s learning skills through playing and exploring, being an active learner and creating and thinking critically. These are the characteristics of effective learning identified in the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.

At the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage, each child will be assessed against 17 key areas called the Early Learning Goals. For each early learning goal (ELG), teachers must judge whether a child is meeting the level of development expected at the end of the reception year (‘expected’) or not yet reaching this level (‘emerging’). Below is an attached document outlining the expectations at the end of the reception year. 

At Waterbeach we welcome every child into a safe, fun and caring environment. The areas of learning and development are delivered through a broad, enriched curriculum. We plan a range of adult-led activities in our indoor and outdoor environments and encourage and support child-initiated activities through continuous provision. We have themes that usually last a term or half-term to ensure every child has a range of opportunities and experiences that support them on their ‘learning journey’ and adapt these plans in line with children's interests and ideas when needed.  We embrace diversity and encourage respect for one another as well as sharing and celebrating every child’s progress and achievements.

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We aim to have open communication channels to keep you informed about everything that is going on in school and to give easy access to speak to us if needed. Ways we can communicate:

School/team letters – all letters are sent via email. 

Website – we hope the website is a good reference source. If there are things that you would like to see included, please let us know.

Email – you can send emails to your child’s class teacher. The protocol is that teachers will respond within 3 working days. If you need a more urgent response, then you can leave a message with the school office or send a note to your child’s class teacher.  

Appointments – if you would like to arrange a meeting with your child’s class teacher, please contact them via email, school office or letter to arrange a suitable time.

Concerns – if you have any concerns about an issue within the class, please email or speak to the class teacher in the first instance. When necessary, you may then wish to contact Mr Lloyd (Headteacher).

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Getting Ready for Change – Reception

To help families as their children transition (change) through each stage of education, local NHS clinicians have created an online health questionnaire that can be your ‘Getting Ready for Change’ checklist. This is for all children who are in Reception. It covers lots of points, from hearing and eyesight through to emotional health and behaviour.

It is a digital platform that you can use on your mobile device or laptop.  After answering just seven questions, a summary report will be produced for you with links to approved information and support.

You can access the questionnaire by using this link.

If you have any questions, you can contact the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Healthy Child Programme on 0300 029 50 50 or text 07520 649 887.

* Please note – the questionnaire is secure and NHS protected *