Learning Goals

AREAS OF LEARNING AND EARLY LEARNING GOALS

We want the children at our pre school to feel happy and secure and enjoy learning through their play and have lots of fun.

We base our play and learning on the Early Years Foundation Stage Principles – A Unique Child, Positive Relationships, Enabling Environments, Learning and Development.

We use these guidelines to encourage learning through play in our setting under the six headings, an explanation of each section below.

Communication, Language and Literacy

In our setting we will encourage in large and small groups the children to extend their vocabulary by talking, listening, taking part and responding to stories, rhymes and songs.

They are helped to understand that written symbols carry meaning and, when ready, are encouraged to draw and write symbols for themselves, emergent writing is also encouraged. They are encouraged to become familiar with books and be aware of their uses, both for reference and as a source of stories and pictures. They are also encouraged to treat books in an acceptable manner.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Each child is individually supported in developing their own confidence and independence. They are encouraged to participate in the group by sharing, taking turns and co-operating with children and adults. Through role models, conversations and activities they learn acceptable ways to express their feelings and respect the feelings of others.

Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy

Songs, games, books and puzzles help the children to become aware of number sequences. The adults in the group support the children as they become familiar with sorting, matching, sequencing, counting and shapes and as they learn to identify objects by position, size volume and number. All of this is the basis of early maths.

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

The children are given time, space and opportunity to explore and experiment with a wide range of natural and manmade resources, giving them a chance to learn and recognise the differences, similarities and patterns. They learn to explore and understand their environment both locally, nationally and globally, and learn to accept and respect those whose culture is different to their own. They are given the opportunity to extend their technical and problem solving skills.

Physical Development

All children are given the opportunity to use a wide range of equipment to develop their gross motor skills, running, climbing, jumping and their fine manipulative skills such as gripping, scissor skills and pencils. Adult supervision allows the children to develop safely, increasing their confidence and awareness of their own bodies and developing spatial awareness.

Creative Development

Children are encouraged to use a wide range of resources to express their own ideas and feelings. Paint, glue, crayons, pencils and pens are provided together with and alongside natural and discarded materials, giving them the opportunity to explore colour, texture and develop their fine manipulative skills as they paint, draw, junk model and collage. Children can, if they wish, join in and respond to music and stories and have ample opportunity for imaginative play in the home corner, which can be changed, in keeping, with our themes.