Your Child’s Key Person - Rockwood Nursery School, Burnley, Lancashire

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The key person system is well established at Rockwood, with each child being under the care and education of a consistent key teacher and key person within their allocated group. The role of the key person is to nurture your child and help tend to their needs both personal and educational. They support and carry out fun activities linked to your child’s interests, getting to know your child, and you very well through discussions and daily contact. More formal meetings are held with you and your child’s key teacher at the end of your child’s first half term and again at the end of their final term before transition to school, to ensure you are up to date with your child’s learning and future targets. This offers the opportunity for you and the key teacher to discuss further support and strategies we could implement at nursery and at home to meet your child’s needs.

Partnership with parents is a vital component of the EYFS and one that we support and advocate. Children benefit from a supportive and a positive approach to play and learning. Rockwood Nursery offers children an excellent foundation onto which future learning can be built. The Nursery operates an ‘open door policy’ to be available to families to discuss any issues or concerns. This may necessitate an arranged appointment in order to fit around staffing and curriculum needs of the Nursery.

We value your contributions to your child’s education and you can send pictures into the key person via Tapestry, through the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. email and you will be provided with the email of a named member of staff in your child’s group which can be found on your child’s group welcome pack. You can use this to send updates, information and any questions or concerns.

We also use Tapestry, an online learning journal for children which allows staff to add short observations, videos, photos and 'wow' moments throughout your child's journey and Rockwood. If parents/carers log in to the system, it also allows them to send comments, photos and videos into their child's journey too.

If you wish to speak to your child’s key teacher and/or key person at any time please ask.

Your child’s key person, as well as talking to you, will be constantly observing and talking to your child about what they like to do and ideas of any future learning they may want to do i.e. what they want to achieve and how.

These discussions help them plan their learning and develop. They monitor your child’s achievements through ongoing assessments, ensuring appropriate learning takes place to meet your child’s needs. Your child is therefore encouraged to express their views about their own learning.

Your child's group team will work and plan together for your child throughout the year. The planning will develop around key areas for development according to the EYFS curriculum INTENT that we have designed at Rockwood to best meet the experiences we feel are most appropriate and relevant to our children here. It will also involve key topics, themes and books throughout their years at Rockwood to expand their knowledge and help them become lifelong learners; based within Burnley, but a child of the world.

Confident

A child at Rockwood will feel confident and valued by staff who praise and support them, listening and showing interest in what they want to say, encouraging them to strive further and to try harder and have a go, self-scaffold their learning and take risks to challenge themselves.

Creative

A child at Rockwood will be encouraged to be creative by offering a variety of mediums, such as, role play, storytelling, and open-ended resources to develop creative thinking and to stimulate their imagination.

Curious

A child at Rockwood will learn to be curious about the world around them supported by the rich, vibrant and stimulating learning opportunities that are provided starting from their interests; they will learn to question and explore to extend their knowledge through continuous provision and adult led activities that excite and enthuse children in both the indoors and outdoors area.

Independent

A child at Rockwood will be guided, scaffolded and praised on their journey to become a successful, independent communicator no matter what their starting point is. They are encouraged to develop a ‘Have a go’ attitude, to take risks and push themselves out of their comfort zones. The children are encouraged to make their own choices for learning, work at their own ability level and the staff challenge them when necessary to extend their learning by scaffolding their learning, building on what they know / can do, and questioning them appropriately to make them think deeper and learn more about what they are working on.

Loved

A child at Rockwood will feel loved because staff will take time to listen and value their ability to communicate in any way that they can (through Makaton, gesture, expression and words. Staff will support them by modelling and extending their learning, offering strong, warm and supportive relationships with adults.

Motivated

A child at Rockwood will feel motivated to have a “have a go” attitude because the staff follow the children’s interests and support and praise them. We celebrate children’s learning and share their achievements with their parents.

Resilient (added during Covid 19)

A child at Rockwood will have a “have a go” attitude and the confidence to make mistakes but to continue to learn in a supportive and safe environment. Supporting children to manage their emotions, make their own decisions for learning and to resolve conflicts peacefully.