Educational programme and activities
The experiences and activities children encounter at pre-school provide an excellent foundation for later learning. Planned and purposeful play activities following children’s interests, supported by individual attention from staff, provide children with the opportunity to progress at their own pace in all seven areas of learning and development.
Children are given the opportunity to choose.
Independence and autonomy are developed in their play and learning.
Social skills are developed as children play together and eat together.
Most importantly, children learn through play.
The importance of the process rather than the end product is stressed at all times.
THE EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE
The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage states the seven areas of learning and development must shape educational programmes in early years settings. All areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected. The three prime areas are particularly important for building a foundation for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, forming relationships, and thriving. Early years settings must also support children in four specific areas, through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied. Educational programmes must involve activities and experiences for children under each of the areas of learning, as follows:
PRIME AREAS
Communication and Language (CL) development underpins all seven areas of learning and development. Children’s back-and-forth interactions from an early age form the foundations for language and cognitive development. The number and quality of the conversation’s children have with adults and peers throughout the day in a language-rich environment is crucial. Hardwick Pre-School staff will build children’s language by commenting on what the children are interested in or doing and echoing back what they say with new vocabulary added. We will read frequently to the children, engage them in stories, non-fiction, rhymes, and poems, and then provide them with extensive opportunities to use and embed new words in a range of contexts to give them the opportunity to thrive. Through conversations, storytelling and role-play, children will be encouraged to share their ideas with support and modelling from pre-school staff. Staff will use sensitive questioning to invite children to elaborate so they become comfortable in using a rich range of vocabulary and language structures.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED) is crucial for children to lead healthy and happy lives and is fundamental to their cognitive development. Underpinning their personal development are the important attachments that shape their social world. Strong, warm, and supportive relationships with adults enable children to learn how to understand their own feelings and those of others. At Hardwick Pre-School children will be supported to manage their emotions, to develop a positive sense of themselves, to set themselves simple goals, to have confidence in their own abilities, to persist and to wait for what they want, and to direct attention as necessary. Through pre-school staff modelling and guidance, children will learn how to look after their bodies, including healthy eating, and to manage their personal needs independently. By supporting interactions with other children, staff will enable children to learn how to make good friendships, to co-operate with others and resolve conflicts peaceably. These attributes will provide children with a secure platform to achieve at school and in later life.
Physical Development (PD) Physical activity is vital in children’s all-round development, enabling them to pursue happy, healthy, and active lives. Gross and fine motor experiences develop incrementally throughout early childhood, starting with sensory explorations and the development of a child’s strength, co-ordination, and positional awareness. At Hardwick Pre-School we will create games and provide opportunities for play both indoors and outdoors. We will support children to develop their core strength, stability, balance, spatial awareness, co-ordination, and agility. Gross motor skills provide the foundation for developing healthy bodies, and social and emotional well-being. Fine motor control and precision helps with hand-eye co-ordination, which is later linked to early literacy. With feedback and support from pre-school staff, we will provide repeated and varied opportunities for children to explore and play with small world activities, puzzles, arts and crafts, and the practice of using small tools, to allow children to develop proficiency, control, and confidence.
SPECIFIC AREAS
Literacy (L) is crucial for children to develop a life-long love of reading. Reading consists of two dimensions: language comprehension and word reading. Language comprehension (necessary for both reading and writing) starts from birth. It only develops when adults talk with children about the world around them and the books (stories and non-fiction) that adults read with them, and enjoy rhymes, poems, and songs together. Skilled word reading, taught later at school, involves both the speedy working out of the pronunciation of unfamiliar printed words (decoding) and the speedy recognition of familiar printed words. Writing involves transcription (spelling and handwriting) and composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech, before writing).
Mathematics (M) Developing a strong grounding in number is essential so that all children develop the necessary building blocks to excel mathematically. Children should be able to count confidently, develop a deep understanding in the numbers to 5 and then 10, the relationships between numbers and the patterns within those numbers. Hardwick Pre-School will provide frequent and varied opportunities to build and apply this understanding, so children develop a secure base of knowledge from which mastery of mathematics is built. In addition, our curriculum will provide rich opportunities for children to develop they spatial reasoning skills across all areas of mathematics including shape, space and measures. It is important that children develop positive attitudes, and interest in mathematics, look for patterns and relationships, spot connections, ‘have a go’, talk to adults and peers about what they notice and not be afraid to make mistakes.
Understanding the World (UW) involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community. The frequency and range of children’s personal experiences increases their knowledge and sense of the world around them – from visiting parks, libraries, and museums to meeting important members of society such as police officers, nurses, and firefighters. At Hardwick Pre-School children will listening to a broad selection of stories, non-fiction, rhymes, and poems to foster their understanding of our culturally, socially, technologically, and ecologically diverse world. As well as building important knowledge, this will extend children’s familiarity with words that support their understanding across domains. Enriching and widening children’s vocabulary will support later reading comprehension.
Expressive Arts and Design (EAD) The development of children’s artistic and cultural awareness supports their imagination and creativity. At Hardwick Pre-School children will have regular opportunities to engage with the arts, enabling them to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials. The quality and variety of what children see, hear, and participate in, is crucial for developing their understanding, self-expression, vocabulary, and ability to communicate through the arts. The frequency, repetition, and depth of their experiences are fundamental to their progress in interpreting and appreciating what they hear, respond to, and observe.
Hardwick Pre-School staff will consider the individual needs, interests, and development of each child in their care, and will use this information to plan a challenging and enjoyable experience for each child in all areas of learning and development.
Play is essential for children’s development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, relate to others, set their own goals, and solve problems. Children learn by leading their own play, and by taking part in play which is guided by adults.
In planning and guiding what children learn, Hardwick Pre-School staff will reflect on the different rates at which children are developing and adjust our practice appropriately.
Three Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning are:
Playing and Exploring – children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’;
Active Learning – children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements;
Creating and Thinking Critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.
Our curriculum news outlines our weekly plans and how you can support your child’s learning and development at home. This is sent to you by Class Dojo and is also available on our website. There is also information and links to home learning on our website.
Further information about the Early Years Foundation Stage can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/early-years-foundation-stage
https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/children-and-families/schools-learning/education-system/early-years-education
Further information about "What to expect in the Early Years Foundation Stage: a guide for parents" can be found at: https://foundationyears.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/What-to-expect-in-the-EYFS-complete-FINAL-16.09-compressed.pdf
KEY PERSON
Your child will be assigned a key person prior to starting at pre-school. Your child’s key person will help your child to become familiar with the pre-school and to feel confident and safe within it. Your child’s key person will aim to develop a close relationship with both you and your child to ensure the pre-school are providing appropriate care and learning activities for your child. Please help your child’s progress by sharing information such as activities or events they have attended outside of pre-school, progress in their learning at home and perhaps photographs with your child’s key person via Tapestry, your child's online learning journal. Please ensure your child’s key person can care for your child appropriately by sharing any information which may be affecting your child.
As the pre-school staff all work different hours, your child may be assigned an additional member of staff for when their key person is not at pre-school.
You will be introduced to your child’s key person at the new parents meeting and/or your initial visit to pre-school and will also be advised of the additional member of staff assigned to your child.
RECORD KEEPING AND PROGRESS RECORDING
We implement an online record keeping system where formative observations, photographs, short videos, and the children’s own creations both within pre-school and at home are used to draw up a curriculum that meets the needs of every child.
We ask parents to provide the initial information to start their child’s online learning journey, Tapestry, via an 'About Me' page.
Within four to six weeks of your child starting at pre-school your child’s key person will complete an ‘Entry Assessment’ utilising information from parents, pre-school and other early years settings, where applicable. You will have online access to your child’s ‘Entry Assessment’. Your child’s online learning journey, Tapestry, is overseen by your child’s key person and can be seen online by you at any time using secure personal log in details. We also ask if you could contribute to your child’s online learning journey throughout their time at pre-school by posting comments or replying to observations.
Your child’s learning and development is monitored by your child's key person to ensure your child is progressing and is receiving any additional support they require. In our curriculum news, we suggest activities you can do at home to support your child's learning and development each week.
We offer a parent consultation in March with your child’s key person to discuss your child’s progress.
Before your child leaves Hardwick Pre-School your child’s key person will complete a ‘Transition Summary’ to pass onto your child’s school or new early years setting. You will be sent a digital copy of your child's online learning journey before your child leaves Hardwick Pre-School.
Your child’s key person can be approached at any time to discuss your child’s progress. All records are entirely confidential and will not be shown to anyone – apart from staff, Chair or Vice-Chair – without a parent’s written consent. This is subject to our Safeguarding and Promoting the Welfare of Children Policy and Procedure.
OTHER SETTINGS / PROFESSIONALS
To provide the best possible care and education for your child we ask for your permission on your child’s registration form to share information about your child with any other settings your child may attend, i.e. an alternative pre-school, nursery or childminder. In addition, we may need to share information with other professionals such as a Speech and Language Therapist, the Child and Family Team or members of Early Support.
Latest revision February 2023