Our highly trained practitioners provide the curriculum which includes the environment, materials, activities and adults working alongside children to promote growth in their social, intellectual, physical and emotional development.

Children have first-hand experiences where they can explore, create and become more independent in doing things for themselves. The learning environment provides rich opportunities for developing communication skills, investigation and children’s creativity. We ensure that children are able to make choices and provide resources that enable them to initiate their own play and learning, with adults supporting them in following their ideas.

The Characteristics of Effective Learning

Across the areas of learning we place great emphasis on developing children’s independence and thinking skills. We also aim to help your child develop skills and attitudes to become a lifelong learner:

• Children will learn through playing and exploring – showing curiosity, pretending, and being willing to “have a go”

• They will develop active learning – being involved, concentrating, enjoying challenge and keeping on trying.

• They will learn about creating and thinking critically – having their own ideas, making links in their thinking and planning ways to do things.

When your child moves to Reception the teacher will continue to plan to this curriculum. It sets out 7 areas of learning and development.

Links to Building Learning Power

Play and Exploration

Finding out and exploring Curiosity – ask questions, use imagination, find other ways, see things that fit together

Playing with what they know Thinking – think about what is known and how it will help them

Being willing to have a go Don’t worry if you make a mistake*

Learning – take turns, listen to each other, work well together, work well alone

Active Learning

Being involved and concentrating Stickability – good concentration

Keep trying Stickability – make mistakes; try, try, try again

Enjoy achieving what they set out to do.

 Learning – take turns, listen to each other, work well together, work well alone

Creating and Thinking Critically

Having their own ideas Thinking – think about what to do and how to do it, think about what is being learnt, think about what is known and how it will help (application), look and listen carefully.

Making links Curiosity – ask questions, use imagination, find other ways, see things that fit together

Choosing ways to do things Thinking – think about what you know

Learning – take turns, listen to each other, work well together, work well alone