The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum.
The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum was made statutory in September 2008.
Learning through play.
Parents need to feel confident that even in Nursery and especially in Pre-school their children are being educated. They want to be sure that their children are given the best possible start in their young lives. There are of course formal
educational goals set for young children through the Early Years Foundation
Stage which all nurseries, preschools and schools must adhere to. At Little Scholar's Pre-School and Busy Scholar's we have adopted a highly successful philosophy to this, which is reflective of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which is fully recognised and praised by OFSTED called ’Learning through play’.
At the heart of this approach we create an environment where a child can express themselves and experience a balanced curriculum of educational activities and experiences. The ability to do this through interaction, involvement and fun ensures that a child can access learning in a non-pressurised manner and therefore develop his/her abilities in all areas. We are delighted to report that our Pre-School has achieved positive recognition for their care and education from the relevant regulatory authorities.
As an example, when playing with dough children will be exploring the texture, handling it to determine its weight, working out how to divide it into pieces so everyone can play, using new language to discuss and describe their experience and using social skills as they play with others. Children are
experimental learners; they learn best through actually doing things, especially if they are allowed to practise and repeat what they have done.
The following are some brief examples of how we foster learning through our
play-based curriculum, ensuring each child makes positive progress in their
time with us:
Personal, social and emotional development.
- Children develop skills that are critical to their ongoing partricipation in society and
ability to co-operate and work and play with others.
- They learn about rules and boundaries and are encouraged to develop appropriate ways
of behaving towards others, as well as recognise how others should behave
towards them.
- Children gain personal awarness and take pride in their own acheivments when challenging themselves.
-We have a flexible routine which gives children the oppertunity to direct their own learning and choices through play.
Communication, Language and Literacy.
- Children are given confidence to express their own thoughts and ideas with staff and
others.
-They are encouraged to observe and question the world around them and to talk about
themselves and their lives.
-They contribute in organised group activity where in particular they learn to listen
and respond appropriately to others.
-Children have many opportunities to handle books, often sharing stories with staff;
looking at words and letters which encourages the development of their literacy
skills.
-As children play and use their hands they are gaining increasing control over
their movements, working towards increased pencil skills.
-To develop this further children are encouraged to make marks in their play, for
example, they create ’shopping lists’ or ’menus’.
-Children learn to respond to patterns in language, exploring alliteration, onomatopoeia
and rhyme through singing, sharing books and exploring poetry which supports
their increasing knowledge of letter sounds and how written and spoken words
are formed.
Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy.
-Through daily routines children learn about numbers, problem solving, shapes and sizes
in their play.
-Children learn how to solve problems; for example how many beakers are needed at snack
time.
-Children learn to predict and test their hypothesis as they, for example, measure
themselves and other children, determine who is tallest and shortest, and then
compare and often record the actual results.
Knowledge and Understaning of the world.
- Daily access to a computer and other forms of programmable toys encourages children’s
increasing understanding and use of communication technology.
- The oppertunity to investigate objects and materials by useing all of their senses.
-Children can learn by building and constructing using various objects and tools.
- The chidlren can gain awarness by exploring local environment, learning about others and their beliefes.
Physical Development.
-Chidlren will gain confidence in moving in a variety of ways, developing their spacial awarness and co-ordination.
- Daily access to climbing equipment which is delivered through are weekly physical education session.
-Children will have the oppertunity to handle and use tool and equipment, developing fine and gross motor skills.
Creative Development.
- A wide range of small world play resources are available to develolop chidlrens imagination.
- children learn to differetiate between sounds, when moving to music or playing with instruments.
- Exploring paints, messy play, and materials helps chidlren to express thoughts and feeling through communicating their ideas.
Learning through play.
Parents need to feel confident that even in Nursery and especially in Pre-school their children are being educated. They want to be sure that their children are given the best possible start in their young lives. There are of course formal
educational goals set for young children through the Early Years Foundation
Stage which all nurseries, preschools and schools must adhere to. At Little Scholar's Pre-School and Busy Scholar's we have adopted a highly successful philosophy to this, which is reflective of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which is fully recognised and praised by OFSTED called ’Learning through play’.
At the heart of this approach we create an environment where a child can express themselves and experience a balanced curriculum of educational activities and experiences. The ability to do this through interaction, involvement and fun ensures that a child can access learning in a non-pressurised manner and therefore develop his/her abilities in all areas. We are delighted to report that our Pre-School has achieved positive recognition for their care and education from the relevant regulatory authorities.
As an example, when playing with dough children will be exploring the texture, handling it to determine its weight, working out how to divide it into pieces so everyone can play, using new language to discuss and describe their experience and using social skills as they play with others. Children are
experimental learners; they learn best through actually doing things, especially if they are allowed to practise and repeat what they have done.
The following are some brief examples of how we foster learning through our
play-based curriculum, ensuring each child makes positive progress in their
time with us:
Personal, social and emotional development.
- Children develop skills that are critical to their ongoing partricipation in society and
ability to co-operate and work and play with others.
- They learn about rules and boundaries and are encouraged to develop appropriate ways
of behaving towards others, as well as recognise how others should behave
towards them.
- Children gain personal awarness and take pride in their own acheivments when challenging themselves.
-We have a flexible routine which gives children the oppertunity to direct their own learning and choices through play.
Communication, Language and Literacy.
- Children are given confidence to express their own thoughts and ideas with staff and
others.
-They are encouraged to observe and question the world around them and to talk about
themselves and their lives.
-They contribute in organised group activity where in particular they learn to listen
and respond appropriately to others.
-Children have many opportunities to handle books, often sharing stories with staff;
looking at words and letters which encourages the development of their literacy
skills.
-As children play and use their hands they are gaining increasing control over
their movements, working towards increased pencil skills.
-To develop this further children are encouraged to make marks in their play, for
example, they create ’shopping lists’ or ’menus’.
-Children learn to respond to patterns in language, exploring alliteration, onomatopoeia
and rhyme through singing, sharing books and exploring poetry which supports
their increasing knowledge of letter sounds and how written and spoken words
are formed.
Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy.
-Through daily routines children learn about numbers, problem solving, shapes and sizes
in their play.
-Children learn how to solve problems; for example how many beakers are needed at snack
time.
-Children learn to predict and test their hypothesis as they, for example, measure
themselves and other children, determine who is tallest and shortest, and then
compare and often record the actual results.
Knowledge and Understaning of the world.
- Daily access to a computer and other forms of programmable toys encourages children’s
increasing understanding and use of communication technology.
- The oppertunity to investigate objects and materials by useing all of their senses.
-Children can learn by building and constructing using various objects and tools.
- The chidlren can gain awarness by exploring local environment, learning about others and their beliefes.
Physical Development.
-Chidlren will gain confidence in moving in a variety of ways, developing their spacial awarness and co-ordination.
- Daily access to climbing equipment which is delivered through are weekly physical education session.
-Children will have the oppertunity to handle and use tool and equipment, developing fine and gross motor skills.
Creative Development.
- A wide range of small world play resources are available to develolop chidlrens imagination.
- children learn to differetiate between sounds, when moving to music or playing with instruments.
- Exploring paints, messy play, and materials helps chidlren to express thoughts and feeling through communicating their ideas.
