Policy on Care, Learning and Play
1st Class Pre-School plans and provides activities and play opportunities to develop children’s emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities.
1st Class Pre-School will provide an environment that is happy, warm, secure and stimulating. We will aim to ensure that all children in our care become confident and independent, and enjoy exploring and learning. The setting should enable children to develop a strong sense of self, while also learning to play and co-operate with other children.
Key Principles:
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• Children are active learners who are physically, emotionally and mentally involved in learning, for young children play is the natural and most important tool for active learning.
• The curriculum is accessible for every child - in planning opportunities for children’s learning and experience the practitioners should ensure that the different areas of learning are linked and that each is of equal importance (balanced curriculum).
• No child should feel excluded or disadvantaged because of ethnicity, culture, religion, home language, family background, special educational needs, disability, or gender.
• Start with assessment – this is a tool that enables appropriate and suitable planning that is challenging for all children.
• When planning start with the child - this makes the process of observation, assessment and planning meaningful.
• Early years experience is meaningful, of interest to the child, challenging and achievable.
• Practitioners have a sound knowledge of child development and the ability to implement the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
• An acknowledgement of the Parent’s/Carer’s central role in their child’s education and developing partnerships based on mutual respect and shared responsibility.
• Practitioners ensure that all the children feel included secure and valued.
Early years settings base their curriculum on the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
EYFS:
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Meeting the individual needs of all children lies at the heart of the EYFS. Research shows that high quality experiences in the early years, including a good home learning environment, have a significant positive impact on children’s social, emotional and cognitive development and, therefore, their progress at school and into adult life.
The EYFS is a Framework to support children in their earliest years.
The principles that underline the Framework are:
• A Unique Child – every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.
• Positive Relationships – children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or key person.
• Enabling Environments – the environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning.
• Learning and Development – children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates and all areas of Learning and Development are equally important and inter-connected.
Observation, Planning and Assessment
Observation, record keeping, evaluation and planning are inter-related and inter-dependent. They are the cornerstone for ensuring the provision is of high quality and appropriate for all children.
Effective planning enables staff to provide meaningful learning experiences that will bring out the full potential in each child. Research has confirmed that Early Years staff must observe and listen to children to enable them to make a match between the curriculum offered and the development needs and current interests of the children.
Learning and play
• We will offer the children a broad and balanced curriculum which follows the Early Years Foundation Stage
• We will offer a variety of activities, both planned and free choice, which provide opportunities to learn through play
• We will offer a mixture of active and quiet time throughout the day, and the children will have opportunities to participate in both indoor and outdoor activities
• We will take every opportunity to further individual children’s communication skills in speaking and listening
• We will encourage the children to look at books and seek opportunities to read stories to, and with, them
• We will develop early mathematical skills through everyday routines, as well as through planned experiences and games
• We will provide activities which engage the children in problem-solving and investigation
• We will stimulate the children’s imaginative and creative development through a range of activities, including: role play; a variety of painting, modeling and drawing experiences, both planned and free-choice; singing and dancing to music, as well as listening to music and playing instruments
• We will encourage the children to make choices and decisions during free play. We will also expect them, supported by adults, to take appropriate responsibility for the care and maintenance of resources
• We will make resources accessible to the children, wherever possible, in order that they can choose their activities independently
• We will label all resources so that children can find and return resources and equipment safely and easily
• We will ensure the safe use and storage of resources by the children, but we also support their independence and problem-solving abilities
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Reviewed December 2018