Our Curriculum

What is a ‘curriculum’, and why is it important to have one for the children we work, play and learn with? A curriculum includes the important learning aspects which are ongoing in the setting. It covers all areas of learning for the children from when they start my setting to school readiness.

Our curriculum includes aspects of growth and development,
including communication, academic, physical, creative, emotional and social, appropriate to the children's ages; counting, colours, shapes, enjoying books, developing language skills and communication, as well as how we look after ourselves and others. Learning to understand feelings, practical skills such as toilet training, using a knife and fork, and putting coats and shoes on.

The basis for literacy, numeracy, artistic and imaginative areas are developed both within the setting and in the outside activities available, as we offer opportunities alongside everything a child is learning from their home environment from shared experiences with their family.

We have built our Curriculum around the Early Years Foundation
Stage (EYFS). The reason for this is because it is a comprehensive and evolving system which fully understands what age, stage and ability is appropriate for individual children. Thereby guiding us towards suitable planning, and inclusivity, in all our activities for the children in our care.

In order to facilitate the best learning opportunities for the children in our setting we:

Plan - Explain - Observe - Learn - Discuss - Offer/share different ideas - Discuss - Extend - Assess

This allows us to choose an area to work on, to share with the children what we are doing and why, it allows us to see how well they understand and implement what we have planned, and shows us what works well and what works less well, we also include in the childrens’ ideas and thoughts, we can then take the activity further if needed, and finally we can understand what was learned by the children and how well the activity achieved our aim.

THE SHAPE OF OUR DAY

We are very much ‘child led’, so within a daily routine (which adheres to regular meal times) we do not stick to a strict timetable of pre-planned activities.

Experience has led us to the conclusion that children learn best
when they have autonomy over what they want to do - especially at these young ages - balanced by a loose structure including things they are usually very keen to do.

8.00 - 9.00 

Children arrive and settle to free play or sharing books/toys from home and we do an attendance register together to help with name recognition.

9.00 - 12.00 
Sometimes an outing, or outside play, sometimes a structured activity of craft or learning (with children in small groups or as individuals), free play and open ended activities are available at all times so the children can choose their preference.

11.00 – 12.00 
Several times a week we do Circle time Topic (usually a PSED subject) followed by song time, instruments, dancing or yoga.

12 - 12.30  
Lunchtime FOLLOWED BY NAP TIME FOR THOSE THAT NAP or just quiet time for those that need a little calming time.

12.30 - 3.00 
Sometimes outside play, free play, books and stories on hand at all times, and quiet activities at the table.

3.00 - 4.00 
Free play or outside time (weather and light permitting).

4.00 - 5.00 
Dinner Time

5.00 - 6.00 
Free play and tidy up time.

COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE

Intent 
To ensure children in our care are good communicators for their age and the developmental stage they are at; from the first eye contact, facial expressions and physical aspects of communication, through non-verbal communication skills, to feeling confident and competent to engage in conversation with their peers, others in the setting (older and younger) and other trusted adults. Ensuring they are able to communicate their thoughts, feelings, needs and
wishes.

Implementation
From the very first interaction with the children in our care, we ensure that the baby or child knows that they are important to us, and that we will meet their needs as best we can.

Eye contact, facial expression, physical contact and observation all have a huge part to play in the initial relationships we build with a child, and we recognise the importance of this. It is to this end that we invite parents into the setting for settling in sessions, so that the child can see we have a positive and welcoming response to their parent/s, which will help facilitate the child’s trust in the first instance. We chat to both the parents and the child (if we perceive the child is ready on first contact), and through this process we learn more about the child, their likes, dislikes, routines etc.

Moving forward to our interactions in the setting without a parent present, we do a great deal of the following; explaining, listening, sharing ideas, listening, repeating new words, listening, reading stories, listening, asking questions, listening, repeating phrases, listening, describing what we see/hear/taste/feel/smell, and listening! As you can see we consider LISTENING is just as important as speaking when communicating.

Throughout all that we do with the children whether it is a puzzle, song time, an assault course in the garden, a walk in the woods, mealtimes, asking about their weekend, we always chat about what we can see/feel/hear/smell/taste (depending on the activity), and we encourage the childrens’ feedback to us, as a way of learning more about them and to build their confidence in their own ability to communicate with us.

We also make the most of song time and circle time to extend vocabulary. As well as explaining what the new words we come across in songs and stories mean, and encouraging them to say a new word back to us.

We encourage interaction between the children in the setting by encouraging them to take turns with toys, playing board games, using role play equipment such as play food, dressing up, the dolls house. Sometimes, depending on a child’s age, we facilitate (by introducing new ideas) role play and at other times we just sit back and enjoy watching them create their own narrative.

Impact
Over the time we have been working with children, we can see that the input from the home environment, the input from us and any other settings the child may attend, gives them a strong foundation from which to express themselves verbally, and the ability to communicate their needs, their experiences and share information confidently.

EXPRESSIVE ARTS AND DESIGN
Intent - to give children opportunities to develop creativity through access to a wide range of resources. Which they can use to explore ways in which to express their feelings, thoughts and creative ideas.

Implementation
Children in the setting are encouraged to dance, move and respond to music. We often have music on in the setting - everything from nursery rhymes, themed songs, cultural festival music, musicals and films. In addition to this the children have access to a variety of toy instruments and percussion instruments. We often have dance and movement as part of our song times. We also use sensory scarves, gymnastic ribbons and blowing bubbles, dressing up clothes, and offer movement challenges, to encourage free movement and introduce and explore different ways of moving. 

Within the setting we offer a broad variety of craft material with which to get creative; on paper, card, fabric and anything else safe to draw on, chalk on, paint on, or create models with. Craft activities are part of our weekly focus and the media we use includes many of the following; paint, pens, pencils, chalk, crayons, clay, play doh, foil, beads, glitter, stickers, stones, pasta, ribbons, fabric, felt and wool. In addition to these materials we like to go outside and collect natural resources with which to make collages and pictures, and other inspirational items. These might include pine cones, shells, leaves, petals, sticks, grasses and feathers.

We vary activities by offering ‘directed activities’ where we present an idea, and asking the children to use their own choice of materials and colours, at other times the children make purely ‘self directed’ work, using whatever is available to follow their own creative path. At times they may want to just do sticking or colouring or drawing, sometimes this will be enough to satisfy their desire to be creative, and sometimes they will look to us to extend and support their ideas further

We have ‘loose parts’ and ‘open ended’ toys available to the children so they can build their own designs, creating their own play/story/narrative. In addition to this we have a range of role play toys to encourage ‘real world’ play. This includes dolls, dolls house, play food, dressing up clothes, cars, train track, duplo, play mobil, and magnatiles, to name but a few. All of these stretch and develop confidence in a child, as they choose how they wish to use different things, sometimes working/playing alone and at other times in conjunction with other children.

In the summer months the opportunity for other ‘bigger’ outside activities such as den building and water play takes their imaginations in a new direction, often using the outside and natural environment for their inspiration.

Impact
All these opportunities for creativity help the children to understand that there is no ‘wrong’ or ‘right’ when it comes to choosing how to express themselves. Whether they are dancing, making music, playing families or creating a masterpiece, their way of doing so is unique to them, and no idea is too small to express or represent in some way. As a setting we have seen how confidence and enthusiasm for trying new things is an ongoing process, connected with a child’s sense of who they are and what they are capable of.

LITERACY
Intent - to nurture a keen interest in the written word, whether through story books, information books, poems or the environment. All knowledge can be studied through reading so building a strong foundation for this is essential. We strive to nurture an enthusiasm for writing, starting from the very first time a child makes a mark on something with a finger, a stick, a crayon or any other implement or material they can use towards this.

Implementation
Access to books is probably one of our most important and enjoyed activities in the setting. We have a huge range of books, story books, picture books, information books, lift the flap books, textured books, sound making books, available to the children all day, every day. Books suitable for all ages and stages and interests of the children. It is also important to us that children learn how to handle books with care and respect.

We read to the children every day, throughout the day! We encourage the children to choose a book, we ask questions while reading, point things out, encourage children to ask us questions and to engage with books in any way they can, reflect back to us what they see, what they like best and bring us books they have an interest in.  The children also pick their own books from here to share at home which they take home in a book bag mirroring what they do at when they start school.

In addition to this we share lots of other ways of demonstrating how the written word is used on a daily basis. We show the children their names, we also point out signs, shop names, advertising boards and road names we might see when out of the setting etc. The children see us writing things down regularly and we explain what we are writing and why.

The children are encouraged to make marks from an early age, as soon as they can hold something with which to make a mark they get that opportunity. The activity and attempt is greeted with enthusiasm and pleasure at them doing so. We emphasise to parents the importance of encouragement at this early stage, and at the end of each day we share the child’s efforts with their parents in front of the child.

Impact
Literacy is the most important factor for academic self-improvement. If a child can read, they can learn about anything and everything that has ever been written about in the world.

Therefore a child who enjoys reading, in whatever form, has a universe of information available to them. Here in our setting children and babies bring books to us to be read to from the start to the end of the day. Our enthusiasm for reading to them and asking questions about what we read and finding things out from books instils an interest in and an understanding of the importance of books in the world of learning, as well as the simple pleasure gained from reading for oneself. 

Many well known authors will tell you that their interest in writing was forged by entering the magical  and fascinating worlds of other writers whether fiction, biography, non fiction or simply a fascinating information book on a subject that interests them.

MATHEMATICS
Intent - to introduce the building blocks of numerical and mathematical learning in an interesting and exciting manner. To encourage the children to recognise amounts, sizes, shapes, numbers in their environment, and build the basis of mathematics in everyday use.

Implementation
In initial stages we introduce numbers in counting songs and rhymes and by counting everyday things we come across such as steps, sausages, the children, fingers and birthday years. This is to reinforce that maths and numbers are part of everything we do every day.

We have many, many resources in the setting to encourage children and babies to engage with and explore numbers, shapes, lengths, fractions, amounts and position. These range from a simple abacus to shape puzzles, counting games, wooden blocks, ladybird counting stones, colour and number pots, a clock puzzle, shape sorters, balancing scales to name a few. In addition to the resources that are physically accessible to the children, we spend time counting and discussing sizes, shapes, lengths, and all manner of other mathematical concepts which can apply to any of the resources in the setting. We often play with the play food and role play shops or restaurants, in order to develop an understanding of money and its uses (a harder concept these days with the ‘cash free’ direction we are going in).

Outside in the garden the children can build stepping stone paths with wooden discs and planks, learning to understand what is a suitable distance for a step from one to the other, as well as the importance of balancing things to make them safe. We also use water play and blowing bubbles to help the children understand that all things can be measured whether liquid or solid or gas.

Impact
When children are confident from an early age in recognising their numbers, and understanding that numbers apply to everyday life, and that all things they do can have maths applied to them, not just written or spoken numbers, but many other aspects, they become confident that they are competent with maths and all its applications to them as an individual, and to what they do, then they can start to enjoy applying their knowledge and having fun with maths.

PERSONAL, SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Intent 
To promote a sense of self worth and develop meaningful and appropriate relationships and interactions with other people. To ensure each child feels socially confident and able to speak up for themselves, their needs, thoughts and feelings wherever they are.

Implementation
We speak and listen a great deal to each child, from babyhood upwards. Even before they are verbal, by keying into their body language, expressions and the sounds they make to ensure they feel that they matter and are heard by us. Addressing a child by name when we speak to, and with, them encourages recognition of themselves as an individual, and unique from others in the setting. We use role play to model interaction between people in an appropriate and respectful way, and always make sure the adults in the setting take into account each others thoughts ands feeling in order to demonstrate cooperation and consideration, we do this in such a way that the children can see it and draw on it for their own interactions with each other.

As a very first step we greet children individually as they come into the setting, ask how they are, and then invite them in to play. We then encourage them to say hello to others in the setting. We consider this a very important skill, because if you can say “hello” to someone, that is the ice breaker needed for any ongoing social interaction.

We promote group play and conversation, which includes taking turns and listening to each other, both through role play and with our circle time topics, which offer a great opportunity to explain socially acceptable behaviour.

In spite of the fact that all these PSED matters are ongoing at all times in the setting, we have found it beneficial for the children to be able to understand manners, kindness, turn taking, and can use individual skills such as keeping clean and independence. 

Throughout all activities in the setting we find many and varied opportunities to reinforce Personal, Social and Emotional Development. However we also recognise that whereas one child may need a hug when they need comfort, another child may just need reassuring words, and yet another may simply need a pat on the arm and then a switch to a new activity, so for as many children as we have here their personal and emotional development needs are unique to them - every day a school day!

Impact
A child who feels heard and who is able to express themselves to others confidently, becomes a child who is able to solve many uncertainties and questions about their world. They know they need only ask someone or refer to past experiences to better understand what to do in any given situation. Children in this way learn to understand the feelings and needs of others and function well in social situations, because they recognise that they are unique, but if they are unique, so are others. This leads to the ability to cope with new situations and new people.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
Intent - our aim is for each child to hit the physical developmental goals for their age group and ability, and to feel confident reaching beyond that for the next step. We want the children in our care to feel confident trying out new and different ways of moving, using a variety of stimuli to strengthen and hone their physical skills,
including the use of movement for artistic expression as well as athletic achievement, at whatever their capability level is.

Implementation
At the earliest ages we offer fun, engaging and exciting physical activities for the children and babies. We have a wide range of equipment such as bean bags, soft play cushions, soft balls, ribbons, all of which encourage movement and physical play for even the tiniest babies in the setting, geared towards larger motor skills. It isn’t only a baby or toddler’s obvious physical development that we work towards stimulating, but also their wider sensory development. So opportunities to touch and feel different things are complemented by activities which include aural, optical, oral and aromatic sensory stimuli.

We offer a lot of activities for the children with which they can develop, explore, improve and refine their fine motor skills. We use mark making on paper as the first stage of the children learning to form letters and numbers, we introduce the use of a spoon even as we encourage the babies to eat finger foods to develop fine motor skills with hands and fingers. We offer access at all times to some kind of activity which allows children to keep developing these skills through play, whether it is threading cotton reels, lacing activities or beads, squishing playdough or fitting shaped puzzle pieces into the correct space, blocks of all types to strengthen manipulative skills and a variety of textured materials to help the children explore their surroundings by touch. Moving through the use of tools such as spades for digging holes, to using scissors and craft materials to be creative.

We have the privilege of having access to a lot of outside space here, which includes a field with a football pitch, various wooded areas, and small garden with lots of play equipment. The children have access to all of this, and are encouraged to play, explore and enjoy the outside as much as possible. We build assault courses for the children, and encourage them to build their own, we run on the field with bubbles, ribbons and sensory scarves. We play running games, ball games and all manner of activities which support the children’s physical development in the outside environment. Frequent visits to other places, such as woodlands, public parks and gardens extend all of this activity into the wider world.

We use preparing to eat as an opportunity to explain, and demonstrate, to the children the need for hygiene and self care, as part of their daily routine, with encouragement and praise as they manage something new.

Impact
We can clearly see that a child with physical confidence gains emotional confidence, prompted by activities that facilitate their individual ability to assess and risk take, which in turn engenders their willingness to approach new experiences, based on their past experiences being successful, meaningful and achievable.

With praise and encouragement children grow, strengthen and develop physical skills which help support their sense of capability and competence.

KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Intent
To promote a child’s interest in, engagement with, understanding of, appreciation of and their own unique place in the wider world in which they live.

Teaching them to care for people, places, animals, plants and all living things around them. With the children learning how to be respectful of both our natural and manmade environments.

Promoting an interest in how things work; naturally, mechanically, scientifically and creatively, and showing how they can engage with those processes, learning from them and contributing to them.

Implementation
At our setting we have an outside environment which allows us access to open space, various areas to find bugs and small creatures as well as a multitude of opportunities to engage in planting, picking and eating things we have grown ourselves. We go out in all weathers where possible, so the children learn about our immediate climate and surroundings. We have spare wellington boots and matching puddle suits so I can identify the children when we are out and about. We explore the garden for as many bugs and creatures as we can, then follow this up with books on the subject, information cards and any other details we can find on the ipad or computer.

We feed the birds so we get to observe a variety of garden birds. 

Inside the setting we use every opportunity to support children’s learning about the world we live in. Some of this learning comes from the broad variety of books we have in the setting, from how things work mechanically, to the natural world beyond that which the children can experience locally, to how things are powered, how the human body works, to how we build things, design things, grow things.

We also explore differences in people, cultures, religions, languages, where and how people live, the work people do, the shape and diversity of families around the world and in our own communities. We discuss with the childrens differences in ability, how people look different, have different interests, different lifestyles and how where we live can impact all of these things, things such as weather, terrain and natural events.

We encourage the children to explore the properties of natural things, with simple science experiments, playing with water and ice, colour mixing, growing seeds and bulbs and turning ingredients into something we can eat in a cooking session.

Impact
Children who have the workings of the world around them explained and who can access and explore all aspects of it, grow up to be interested and confident to ask questions about the world they live in. This creates a desire to learn and understand things; not just things, but people, customs, the why’s, the where’s and the how’s of what they see, hear, taste, smell and touch. These children gain knowledge and understanding daily. In our opinion nothing is too small or simple, or too big and complex to explain to a child who asks about it, and frankly it is even more important to share information and explain things about our world to a child who doesn’t ask about it. It is their world and they need to know that they are part of it and that it matters and, as part of it, they matter too.