GEMS WELLINGTON 2016- SCHOOL, QATAR

GEMS WELLINGTON SCHOOL, QATAR

Early Years Parent Handbook

20162017

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Message from Our Principal

Dear Parents, It is my pleasure to welcome to you to GEMS Wellington School, Qatar. We are very proud to have the opportunity to offer you a state-of-the-art learning facility where all children and staff will pursue excellence in all areas of school life. At GEMS Wellington School, it will be our mission to develop compassionate, open minded, brave and confident young people who achieve personal and academic excellence beyond all expectations. In over twenty years of education, I have always been guided by five educational foundations for learning. ? I put morals and values at the heart of everything I do. ? For all children, I set the highest expectations of academic standards, progress, manners, behaviour and respect for the environment, the school community and themselves ? We deliver an enriched curriculum that ensures core and course objectives are met, but also provides children with real life learning contexts through digital technology, enterprise, environmental and community activities. ? Parents are a child's first and most influential teacher, and for me, essential partners in learning along with other members of the wider community. ? Finally, we will work tirelessly to ensure your children are happy; their wellbeing along with that of the staff is my final and perhaps most important foundation for learning at GEMS Wellington School, Qatar. Education is about being a skilled explorer, a cunning detective, an imaginative creator and a tough competitor. I want the future Wellington Qatar children to innovate; to lead with confidence and to be true global citizens of the 21st century. Most importantly they will `Dream, Believe and Achieve' leaving our school with a memory of a remarkable journey My staff and I look forward to working with you on this journey of learning

Jonathan Dey Principal, GEMS Wellington School, Qatar

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Welcome to our Foundation Stage Department

On behalf of all the staff and children we would like to welcome you to our Foundation Stage Department at GEMS Wellington School Qatar and the start of your child's formal learning journey. This separate handbook for early years is intended to provide parents with details about day to day life in our foundation stage department as well as some key information about policies and procedures. At GEMS Wellington, we believe that every year of a child's education is vital. It has been scientifically proven that the early years is when children reach key milestones which can impact on their future learning. It is at this stage that educationalists and parents lay the foundations for a child's success, both academically and personally, through life.

Our department is set in a brand new, purpose built building with all classes on the ground floor to allow easy access to the outside area. Our classes are light and airy and separated from the rest of the school. All classrooms are well resourced in order to meet the needs of the children. We have a fabulous spacious library, music rooms and ICT is integrated into the curriculum. Our foundation stage children are in the same building as their older siblings but in a very secure area of the building. We cater for children from three to five before they transfer to our key stage one department.

We follow the English National Curriculum and in Early Years we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS). We ensure that this meets the needs, interests of our children and the culture and history of our School's international community in Qatar and the Middle East. We provide a unique a high quality learning experience for our children. Our philosophy is that we believe that children need to be independent, self-confident and creative in the environment. We work in very close partnership with our parents to ensure that their children achieve their best as this is key.

We believe that every child who attends a GEMS school is unique with their own talents, strength and dreams. We believe that our children have limitless potential and it is our job to provide them with the individual care, guidance and support that will bring out their best. We do this by laying the foundations for education and preparing our student for life in an ever changing world

If you have any queries about life for your child in foundation stage at Wellington School, then please come into school and see a member of the team

This handbook will provide you with details about the day to day life at our setting and key information about policies and procedures.

We look forward to welcoming you and your child into The Wellington Family

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Our staff

We recruit the best English first language speakers from around the world. All of our teachers are trained to at least degree level and have had experience of working in schools in their home country. Our fantastic teachers are ably supported by our teaching assistants who we train in house. Our early years team are managed by year group leaders who work in close partnership to disseminate and share good practice. Our teaching staff are supported by our front of house Parent Relations Executive.

What does a typical day look like?

Early Years Foundation Stage 1

Activity

Staff available to meet and welcome children and their parents. Child initiated learning, Self-Registration

From

7:30am

To

8.00am

Teacher directed and inquiry based learning begins

Mid-Morning snack

8.00am

8.40pm

10.00am 10.30am

Teacher directed and inquiry based Learning

10.30am 12.15pm

Story time and end of the day procedures

Children collected by their parents from the classroom

12.15pm

12.30pm 12.30pm

Bus children and children with older siblings have lunch and a stay and play session

12.30pm

2.45pm

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Early Years Foundation Stage 2

Period

Staff available to meet and welcome children and their parents. Child initiated learning and self registration

STealfc-Rhergidsitrreactitoend activities & inquiry based learning

From

7.30am

8.00am

To

8.00am

9.45am

Gross Motor session

9.45am

10.05am

Teacher directed activities & inquiry based learning

10.05am

11.55am

Lunch & gross motor session

11.55am 12.40pm

Teacher directed activities & inquiry based learning

12.40pm

1.40pm

Story time and end of the day procedures

1.40pm

2.00pm

Parents collect their child from class Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday

2.00pm

Tuesday

Bus children and children with older siblings stay and play session

2.00pm

1.30pm 2.45pm

Please note session timings may vary slightly

On a Tuesday both GEMS Wellington and The American Academy will close at 1:30pm. There will be no clubs or child care facilities available on this day. This is to allow for essential, weekly professional development sessions for teachers and teaching assistants.

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