AnonyMouse_5501 Posted January 6, 2007 Posted January 6, 2007 Hi all, Trying to work on revamping my weekly timetable for Reception in light of the fact I will be going from 12 children to 30 in two days time!! Anyway, trying to make sure I cover all aspects each week and ensure that they have sufficient PD time. I don't seem to have enough time do do everything (does anyone??) and am just wondering if you have Outdoor Play on the days you have PE as well or do you treat it as their PD time? I know that there is more to outdoors than PD but I have quite limited resources and everything has to be brought out and put away every day (mostly on my own) so am just trying to find a way of not killing myself everyday. I am a bit worried that I won't have enough time to cover everything when I take off daily assemblies, ICT suite time, weekly school singing practise and over long rewards assembly on Fridays!!! Any ideas?
AnonyMouse_4544 Posted January 6, 2007 Posted January 6, 2007 (edited) We have freeflow access to the outdoor area everyday and don't have PE lessons as such. But we do plan activities for physical development just the same as we do for all other areas of learning. Quite alot of our PD activities take place outdoors it may be dance with a cd player or an assault course set up with logs benches ropes nets etc or things like stilts ropes balls targets. We do have daily hall time to use as we choose and use this for SAQ Write Dance and other large group PD activities. We don't attend whole school assembly on a daily basis which means the children have a full day and dont get interrupted when they are fully engrossed in child initiated activities except for lunch. I know this isn't always possible but it really helps. Edited January 6, 2007 by Marion
Guest Posted January 6, 2007 Posted January 6, 2007 (edited) Am in the same boat as you Claire, going from 14 to only 25 this time on Monday. We do outdoor play every day as well as having two one hour slots in the school hall timetabled a week. Although by the time they are changed and getting changed back we usually end up with half an hour in the hall! I actually like the hall times, one session we save for dance and music and movement sessions (I can highly recommend the book Let's Go Zudie-O , ACBlack I think- great early years activities, ideas, music and dvd clips all in one) our second session focuses on having that lovely big space for ball skills etc and getting out the large apparatus and climbing wall frames etc - the children especially love this! I know it's a nightmare to fit it all in but I really feel that physically they benefit from these specialist and more focused activities. We don't go to all the assemblies either, a quick KS1 once a week for birthdays and infants stuff and the whole school well done one last thing on a Friday - my head agreed with me that it was not necessary, we can justify it and she doesn't have to try and cater for 4-11 year olds every day!! Liz x Edited January 6, 2007 by Guest
AnonyMouse_5501 Posted January 6, 2007 Author Posted January 6, 2007 Thanks for the replies. One of my PE sessions is done in my PPA time and usually covers ball skills. They also do DT in this time which helps with a lot of construction skills. I have done some music and movement with the small class which worked quite well. I would like to do more gym type stuff to cover the travel/balance/movement things but don't have a scheme. Anyone have any ideas? My outdoor planning still needs a lot of work and I do find it hard to properly plan for this provision. I can't really do free flow I don't have a fenced off area for play so need to have both adults outside to be able to do any kind of focused work whilst ensuring they don't all run off to the playground!
Guest Posted January 6, 2007 Posted January 6, 2007 Sorry to butt in on this one, but I'm interested to know how everyone manages their outdoor play (outside of 'playtime') in YR. I've already posted about my new temporary job I'm starting on Monday, but I don't think the actual class teacher allowed free-flow indoor/outdoor play if you see what I mean. I think probably she added extra playtimes in instead. I can see how this might be better for this class, as I'm uncertain of the security of the perimeter fences etc. but the FS does clearly state children should have access to outdoors. They also have 2 1hr P.E. sessions timetabled.
AnonyMouse_4544 Posted January 6, 2007 Posted January 6, 2007 I do think OFSTED take into account that not all reception classes have secure outdoor areas for children to access freely and I sympathise its really down to finding times when an adult can be outside to supervise and perhaps limit the number of children outdoors.
Guest Posted January 6, 2007 Posted January 6, 2007 I'm just between jobs at the moment, but am pleased that the school I'm leaving and and going to both use the Val Sabin scheme for PE. It covers all areas and all Primary ages and is very well structured. Because I'm between jobs I'm afraid I've no references for it - I'm sure someone else will help!
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