Curriculum
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CURRICULUM AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES We use the Early Years Foundation Stage. The curriculum offered starts with the familiar and extends the children as they develop in the six main areas of learning:
Most of the time, the children feel that they are just playing and having fun. However, through play, they develop a range of important skills. | |
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Our children develop self-confidence, learn to take an interest in things, know what their own needs are, and tell the difference between right and wrong. We help the children to develop key social skills, such as developing relationships with adults and peers, sharing and taking turns at play activities, making themselves understood, demonstrating 'acceptable' behaviour, co-operating with others, functioning in a group beyond the family, being kind and helpful to others, helping to tidy up, respecting property, taking responsibility, developing respect for their culture and those of others, and demonstrating independence in selecting an activity. Personal, social and emotional development is supported through virtually all pre-school activities, even break-time, when the children learn about waiting one's turn, talking and listening in a group and sharing food. |
The Witch in Room on the Broom made some very nice friends and they helped each other
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Communication, language and literacy
Our children learn to talk confidently and clearly, interact with others, speak and listen, enjoy stories, songs and poems, hear and say sounds and link them to the alphabet. We have a good selection of books that provide the children with the experiences of letters, stories and rhymes and specialist computer programmes that are designed to support early years learning. The children extend their vocabulary and explore the meaning and sounds of new words. They attempt mark making and writing and learning how to hold a pencil correctly. However, language development is encouraged through virtually every pre-school activity from the use of educational toys to cookery and role play. For example, we have a lovely home corner, a supermarket stall and a wide range of dressing up clothes which encourage the children to use their imagination and communicate with each other and with adults. |
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Problem Solving, reasoning and numeracy
Our children learn about number names, counting and recognising numerals. They begin to use mathematical ideas to solve practical problems, explore pattern, shape and comparing quantities. They develop an understanding of maths through a range of activities, including stories, songs, games, table-top activities and imaginative play. Even when they are playing with sand and water, a range of maths and science concepts are being discovered such as volume, mass, absorption, floating, heaviness and lightness. All of these activities are fun for the children, but they also teach them about basic mathematical concepts. |
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Creative development
Our children explore colour, texture, design and shape (in 2 and 3 dimensions) through creative activities such as painting and model-making. Do look at our gallery section for examples of their work. The children also try out dance, make music, play imaginatively and act out stories. A wide range of pre-school activities support the development of creativity, from our extensive role-play resources to our 'small worlds' (e.g. hospital, farm, transport, sea world). Importantly, the children gain experience through the use of all their senses and begin to express and communicate their thoughts, ideas and feelings using a wide range of materials and suitable tools. |
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Knowledge and understanding about the world
Our children learn to explore and investigate the world around them, looking at living things, objects and events. They build with different materials, know about everyday technology and learn what it is used for. They find out about past events in their lives and their families' lives and about the lives and cultures of people who live here and in other parts of the world. Often, we use themed activities to help the children to develop knowledge and understanding about the world. For example, when we focused on Water as our theme, we undertook activities relating to pond-life, life under the sea, the seaside, travel and water fun. In additional to classroom-based activities, the children enjoyed outdoor experiences including a trip to a local pond, a seaside centre and a wet experience day. |
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Physical development
Our children learn to move confidently, control their bodies and handle equipment. They learn basic physical skills such as taking responsibility for dressing themselves, hanging up their own coats, using the toilet, washing hands and wiping noses. Their physical development is also supported through creative play (e.g. cutting, painting, sticking, playdough, clay, woodwork and model making) and table-top activities (e.g. puzzles, threading) which support the development of small movements with fingers and hands. Movement and co-ordination are also developed through music & dance, outdoor games (balls, hoops and ride-on toys) and the use of large equipment such as the adventure playground, school gym and ride on toys. |
