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Within the group, all children are supported in developing
their potential at their own pace. Our keyworker system enables us to ensure
a planned curriculum tailored to the needs of each individual child. By means
of developmentally appropriate play activities and a high level of individual adult input, we offer a curriculum which leads
to nationally approved learning outcomes and prepares children to progress with confidence to the National Curriculum at the
age of five years.
Birth
To Three Curriculum
A Strong Child exploring,
friendships, growing awareness, becoming confident, having a role and identity in a group.
A Skilful Communicator
gaining attention, making contact, exploring, making choices, finding a voice.
A
Competent Learner making connections, exploring, imitating, becoming playful, discovery, pretend play.
A Healthy Child expressing feelings, developing independence, gaining control, learning about rules,
acquiring physical skills.
All babies
and toddlers will be encouraged to explore, respond and engage in fun stimulative play within the Surestart Framework.
Foundation Stage Curriculum
Language and literacy
In both small and large groups, children are encouraged to extend
their vocabulary and fluency by talking and listening, and by hearing and responding to stories, songs and rhymes. Children are helped to understand that written symbols carry meaning, to be aware of the purposes of writing
and, when they are ready, to use drawn and written symbols for themselves. A
well-stocked book corner gives every child the opportunity and encouragement to become familiar with books, able to handle
them and aware of their uses, both for reference and as a source of stories and pictures.
Personal and social development
Within a nurturing environment, children are individually supported
in developing confidence, autonomy and self-respect. They are encouraged to work
and concentrate independently and also to take part in the life of the group, sharing and co-operating with other children
and adults. Through activities, conversation and practical example, they learn
acceptable ways to express their own feelings and to have respect for the feelings of others.
All children are given the opportunity, as appropriate, to take responsibility for themselves and also for the group,
its members and its property.
Problem Solving, Reasoning & Numeracy
By means of adult-supported practical experience, children become
familiar with the sorting, matching, ordering, sequencing and counting activities which form the basis for early mathematics. As they use their developing mathematical understanding to solve practical problems,
children are assisted to learn and use the vocabulary of mathematics, identifying objects by shape, position, size, volume
and number. Songs, games and picture books help children become aware of number
sequences and, when they are ready, to use simple mathematical operations such as adding.
Knowledge and understanding of the world
A safe and stimulating environment allows children to explore
and experiment with a range of natural and manufactured materials. They learn
to observe the features of objects and substances, recognising differences, patterns and similarities, and to share and record
their findings. Children are assisted in exploring and understanding their environment,
both within the group and also in the wider community. A range of safe and well
maintained equipment enables children to extend their technological understanding, using simple tools and techniques as appropriate
to achieve their intentions and to solve problems.
Physical development
A range of equipment and opportunities, both indoors and out of
doors, allows children to develop confidence and enjoyment in the use and development of their own body skills. A high level of adult supervision enables children safely to create and meet physical challenges, developing
increasing skill and control in moving, climbing and balancing. At the same time,
children are supported in the development of the fine motor skills required to use tools, including pens and pencils, and
to handle small objects with increasing control and precision.
Creative development
Children are encouraged to use a wide range of resources in order
to express their own ideas and feeling and to construct their individual response to experience in two and three dimensions. Art equipment, including paint, glue, crayons and pencils as well as natural and discarded
resources, provides for open-ended exploration of colour, shape and texture and the development of skills in painting, drawing
and collage. Children join in with and respond to music and stories, and there
are many opportunities for imaginative role play, both individually and as part of a group.
KEYWORKERS
Our keyworker system gives each member of staff particular responsibility
for just a few children. Each child in the group has one special adult to relate
to, which can make settling into the group very much easier. In addition, the
keyworker is in a position to tailor the group’s curriculum to the unique needs of each individual child. The keyworker maintains links with the child’s home setting, working with parents through shared
record-keeping to ensure that all children are supported in reaching their full potential.
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