The Curriculum - Learning Through Play

Our Aspirations for Our Curriculum

When planning our curriculum, these are the core skills we aspire to for each child:

• To understand and articulate emotions and feelings. 
• To understand and retell familiar stories and create their own using story language.
• To understand changes that happen in our environment and the world.
• To give meanings to the marks they make.
• To be able to solve mathematical problems including number, shape and measure.
• To use a variety of resources to express their individual creativity.
• To confidently use a variety of large scale equipment, including bikes.
• To be a happy, independent and confident learner who is curious and asks questions.

Our intent is to provide a broad, rich curriculum that is effectively personalised to the needs and interests of all children.  To evaluate the impact of our provision, we have in place a robust termly monitoring schedule that includes review of progress and attainment data, learning walks, and observations of both adult-led and child initiated learning.

We reflect on and develop the curriculum and its delivery over time to ensure that children are taught well by all adults through appropriately sequenced activities and provision that supports key skill development that leads to outstanding outcomes. We firmly believe that teaching children how to use the equipment and materials enables independence, decision making, creative thinking and problem solving.

We plan activities for the children that are interactive and fun rather than sedentary because experience indicates that this better supports children’s engagement, involvement and learning:  forest school activities are a good example of this.

Provision always takes into account the ability of each cohort and individual child/ren’s particular needs. Due to the varying levels of communication and language skills of children entering the nursery, staff use Makaton signing to support communication and engagement.

We have prepared a short leaflet to tell parents about our approach to the curriculum.  You can collect a hard copy from the School Office or download it here: 

Areas of learning and development

The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage sets out seven areas of learning and development that shape teaching and learning. All of these areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected.

 

The Prime Areas

Firstly there are the three Prime Areas, which are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive. These are

The Specific Areas

The three prime areas are strengthened and applied in four Specific Areas: