Curriculum Planning

In September 2008 new national guidelines have been introduced for childcare settings which amalgamate all three of the previous documents used; The Day Care Standards, Birth to Three Matters and the Foundation Stage Curriculum.

The Early Years Foundation Stage now spans the 0-5 age range under the following principles for learning:

A Unique Child

Positive Relationships

Enabling Environments

Learning and Development

recognising each child’s learning as individual and supported by the environment and positive relationships with others.

The Early Learning Goals that now support development across the whole age range are:

Personal, Social and Emotional Development
We provide experiences to enable babies and children to develop a positive sense of themselves, supporting their emotional well-being and encouraging social skills and respect for others.

Communication, Language and Literacy
We provide experiences that will develop babies and children’s speaking and listening skills, helping them become confident communicators. Babies and children share and enjoy stories, rhymes and role-play and mark making activities on a daily basis, at age appropriate levels.

Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
We introduce babies and children to practical activities that develop their skills in counting, matching, sorting, pattern and experimenting with numbers. Through practising these skills children experiment with their ideas and learn how to reason and solve simple mathematical problems.

Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Babies and children are encouraged to develop skills and understanding of the natural environment in which they live through activities such as gardening or observing and caring about small creatures and pets, visits in the local areas and to places of interest. Children are given opportunities to explore and question issues of difference with regard to gender, religion, culture and language. Varied opportunities are available for developing ICT skills using CD players, cameras and computers.

Physical development
Babies and children are encouraged to improve skills of co-ordination, control, manipulation and movement, to help them gain confidence in what they can do which encourages them to feel good about themselves. They are supported to make connections between physical exercise, healthy food and developing healthy lifestyles.

Creative Development
Babies and children are given the opportunity to experiment using all their senses to explore colour, space and texture and develop creative skills in making and design. This includes creativity through music, dance and role-play using a wide range of multi-cultural resources.