Plus 4s

What is a Plus 4 Session?

All our older children study Plus 4 work every morning. Although all children attending Pre-school spend much of each session together, every morning we have a separate Plus 4 session in our bright and cheerful afternoon rooms. These sessions are usually about an hour and a half long, with a snack break in the middle, and are normally for about six children.

Who runs the Plus 4 Session?

Each session is planned by Chris Bernard, a teacher at the Woodcote Primary School, in consultation with Liz Newland-Smith, our Pre-school Leader. Chris takes the session on Tuesday mornings. The secret of our success is a unique collaboration between a qualified primary school teacher, with over 13 years' experience of Early Years and Foundation Stage Education, and an Early Years specialist.

What can a Plus 4 Session offer my child?

The Plus 4 session acts as a transition between the informality of Pre-school and the more formal environment of the school reception class. As a teacher at the local primary school, Chris Bernard knows exactly what the children can expect when they go to 'Big School' and can therefore prepare them thoroughly.

The Plus 4 Sessions offer a quiet and more formal environment within which the children are encouraged to sit and concentrate on simple but fun exercises. The children study early literacy and numeracy, practice fine motor skills (e.g. writing and drawing) and develop their language skills through discussions. Each child is taken at his own pace, but the aim is to encourage more structured learning through play.

Where possible, we also offer P.E. for the Plus 4s. We ask that older children come equipped with shorts, a T-shirt and plimsolls. For many children school is their first experience of having to undress and dress themselves in 'public'. Some children can find this very intimidating and we have found that practising in the smaller, more familiar setting of the Pre-school helps many children to overcome any worries.

New primary school admission rules for September 2004

From September 2004 any child aged 4 will be entitled to go to Primary School if his or her parents wish. However, parents still do not have to send their child until the term after their fifth birthday. Initially, it was said that a four year old not going to school in September 2004 would then only be able to go in September 2005 and that they would not be guaranteed a place. It was also suggested that children remaining at Pre-school would not be entitled to five free sessions a week under the Nursery Education Grant scheme. That is now no longer the case.

In September 2004, the position will be as follows:

• All four year olds will be able to go to Primary School in September 2004 if their parents wish.
• No child has to go to Primary School until the term after their fifth birthday.
• Children who chose not to go to school in September may elect to start school after Christmas or Easter.
• Schools must hold a place for children whose parents choose to start them at school after Christmas or Easter. If parents of summer born children decide to delay their child starting school for a full year, i.e. until the following September, they will have to reapply to the school for a place. This is no change to the current "white card" system.
• Woodcote Primary school will only offer younger four year olds half day sessions. Schools are not obliged to offer parents a choice of which session they take up.
• Parents will be able to buy extra sessions (including lunch sessions) at Woodcote Pre-school to provide full day care.
• Four year olds will become entitled to full day sessions at the school during the term in which they reach five.
• Schools must operate a staff:child ratio of at least 1:15. Woodcote Primary School is planning a ratio of 1:13. Woodcote Pre-school operates, and will continue to do so, on Pre-school Learning Alliance ratios of 1:6 for the over threes and 1:4 for two year olds. Because we have to employ additional staff to cover our two year olds, Woodcote Pre-school is currently operating a ratio of about 1:5

What are the advantages of keeping my child at Pre-school?

• There is a big difference between a child at 4 and one at 4¾. They have substantially different needs. How many 4 year olds can put on their own PE kit or shoes, or open a lunch box or drink?
• The Plus 4 Sessions have a teacher:child ratio of 1:6. Woodcote Primary School is planning 1:13.
• Woodcote Pre-school offers quality, flexible full day care.
• Woodcote Pre-school takes children from the age of two. It is therefore often possible for younger brothers and sisters to come to pre-school with their older sibling.
• Woodcote Pre-school provides free snacks and milk plus hot meals during the lunchtime session. No need for packed lunches.
• Woodcote Pre-school is flexible. Extra sessions can be bought on short notice. Children can be taken out of Pre-school for holidays during term-time.
• Pre-school offers bright, spacious premises with a relaxed, family atmosphere, with staff that the children know and trust. The Primary School do not yet know where they will accommodate their four year old children.
• We have a Primary School Teacher and staff qualified and experienced in Early Years education. We provide quality Foundation Stage Education.
• Most afternoons we go on trips around the village. On fine mornings, we can fence off an area of the Village Green so that the children can play inside or outside as they please. At school 4 year olds will either have to play with much older children or have separate playtimes at set times.
• Two of our staff work at the Primary School and we therefore have close links with the school, easing the transition for children when they go to 'Big School' at 4¾ or 5.

This page was last updated on Saturday 08 March 2008 Copyright © 2003–2009 Rob Hubbard and Woodcote Pre-school Group