Guest Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Hi do you take your Reception children to whole school assembly every day? I find we tidy up so often in the day-for assembly, playtime, dinner time... I'd be interested to hear what others do. Thanks Elle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_1469 Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Our local school doesn't do this........................they have full assembly once a week and a short prayer each day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Hi do you take your Reception children to whole school assembly every day? I find we tidy up so often in the day-for assembly, playtime, dinner time... I'd be interested to hear what others do. Thanks Elle No, we don't take reception to daily collective worship, just on a Friday to praise asembly so that we can all celebrate the weeks successes with the rest of the school. We do go to church as a whole school once a term. Susan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Hiya LT59, I teach in a C.E. school and my head insists that we take the Reception children into whole school Assembly as soon as they start school in September I have worked on her gently over the past five years, stressing the ages and stages and what exactly are they getting out of Assembly, other than learning to sit still and be quiet!!! We have now reached some sort of a compromise, I introduce children to Assembly gradually over the first term, but by Christmas it is expected that they attend all whole school Assemblies. I have managed to avoid one day - simply as it has been imposible to fit in my Key Person time - so I said that we would have it during the Assembly time and that I would plan a Circle Time activity focussing on values, feelings, morals etc. She seemed happy with this. Just a thought - do you need to tidy up before you go into Assembly? I know exactly how you are feeling because everything is such a rush - here and there - and I really don't think it does the children any good. We decided to change our routine just after Christmas, because of the exact same problems that you are experiencing, and now we don't have morning playtime with the rest of KS1 and this has made a massive difference to our mornings. Also it fits in more with the ethos of the EYFS because the children are having extended time to pursue child initiated activities - more importantly the children are far less rushed. I do appreciate how you are feeling, stuck between a rock and a hard place, trying to please the HT, finding time for specified hall times, ICT etc. is very difficult, whilst also having to follow the EYFS curriculum. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_29641 Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Have just been Quizzing my boys and apparently, what happens in their school is: Monday - No Service (KS1 have service in thier own classroom) Tues, Wed, Thurs - Rec attend whole of school service Friday - Whole of school Assembly Probably not what you want to hear. Fe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 we also have to mon-seal, tues in class, weds collective worship thrs ks1, fri celebation, thats like about 2 n half hours of our week just sitting to things they dont even understand x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_390 Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 We are not a church school but our Reception classes come in to assembly every day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 Hi Thank you for all your comments. lots to think about. I'm sure there is an easier/more suitable way than what we currently do. Thanks for putting ideas in my head...I will talk to our Head after the hols-just feel we have soo much wasted time. Wish me luck. Elle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 1, 2010 Share Posted June 1, 2010 Hi I work in a Church School and when I first took over the reception class they were expected to attend assembly all week, however my early years advisor told me that we had to think about why they were there. The do not have to be attending assembly until they are 5. so my head and i compromised. no assemblies for the first half term, praise assembly up to christmas, then in January praise and vicars assembly and after Easter all three whole school assemblies - this works well and the children although not all of them do get a bit more out of it now than just sitting there. my head is also supportive in that if the children aren't in the mood then we don't have to go which is great when at the end of a term they are tired and the last thing they need to do is sit still for 30 minutes! I would talk to your EY advisor and make a compromise with your headteacher - after all we have to think about what the children are getting out of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_4869 Posted June 2, 2010 Share Posted June 2, 2010 we have two assemblies a week, others a short class ones. (RC school) BUT we do have to attend Mass once a month - which can be over an hour! Lucie x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 We are not a church school but at first were expected to go to all of the assemblies. Over the past 2 years we have worked on our head and now for the first half term we do not go to any, then after that oct holiday we go into our celebration assembly (we hadn't done this before but our new head wanted us in there and it is only the fulltimers in the afternoon) its a long assembly. Then we go to KS1 singing after christmas, then join whole school on a monday for birthdays etc and finally the visitor one on a thur is the last one we join as its the hardest one for children to pay attention as they are often talking to the older children. I find it hard as our children are expected to sit there for things that they sometimes dont always understand i know that assemblies need to relate to all age groups. I also find that we get told sitting on the carpet for a long time in lessons is not ideal so why should we ask them to sit for 15/20 minutes in a hall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_65836 Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 We started coming to assemblies related to school rules once a week from last term. It wasn't too bad apart from the fact there were around 250 children in not a very big hall( we are a 3 form intake school). From this term the Yr1 and 2 are going to take it in turns to attend assemblies with us which will make it easier to get in and out without wasting too much time. Children take most of it in and it's a good opportunity to check their listening skills by asking them about the story and reinforce the rules during the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest eck1975 Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 I am in Reception in a Church school - we have: Monday - Whole school assembly Tuesday - Reception & Key Stage 1 assembly Wednesday - Hymn Practise Thursday - (Class worship!) Friday - Celebration assembly/whole school Reception go to all. We have compromised that they don't start right away in Sept, but gradually they end up going to all. Really can't see the point of Hymn Practise for Reception. We are a Primary and go up to Y6, so most of the children have hymn books. When I am teaching my class a song/hymn we do it line by line, repetition repetition. So I am working on getting them out of Hymn Prac ... but we'll see! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 Hmm I know my children are in year one and therefore slightly older, but actually since they all came up still working well within the EYFS in all areas they were like a reception class when I got them. Their favourite assembly is the hymn practise and has been ever since September. Half of them only know the chorus to the songs and sometimes they get it wrong but they sing these with gusto and get very distressed if they think a hymn practise is happening without them. Are you sure your children are getting nothing out of this assembly? Young children often just like singing for the sake of it, even if they aren't getting it right and can't read the words. I suppose it does depend on how the assembly is run though and whether the teacher leading it is making it deathly dull or full of life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 I'm in an RC school. We have a short FS/KS1 assembly, lead by Rec/Y1 or Y2 teacher and very much at a level for them. We also have an infant singing - which may or may not be hymns - again led by one of us. The only other assembly we have is a whole school celebration assembly/class assembly. We only join this when we feel the children are ready - usually after Autumn half term, I usually take those who are ready and the rest stay in class with TA. Sometimes children who are left behind are curious about what the others are doing and so want to come too. They all really enjoy watching the other children doing their assemblies. I think knowing your children and being flexible are what's important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest eck1975 Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 Kariana - Yes, most of my class Love singing and learning new songs, but they do seem to get soo left behind in hymn practise. One of our TAs (who is a singer) leads it each week and teachers take it in turns to go in and support her. She does a fantastic job and we have some great little singers at our school, I just feel when I'm there that my class are sometimes looking at me desperately for help because they really want to join in. I wouldn't want to stop them singing, just feel there could be something more at their level, whether it's splitting Rec/KS1 and KS2, or ... I'm not sure ... The other thing is, it's meant to be 20mins but often over runs, so they do end up sat for a long time ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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