Learning at Little C Pre-school.

The EYFS curriculum at Little Cumberland Pre-School

At Little Cumberland Pre-School, we embed the principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage through our indoor and outdoor continuous provision and interactions with the children.

Principles of the EYFS:

• the unique child
• positive relationships
• enabling environments
• learning and development

Our Continuous Provision

Within the provision are areas that are set up to support the children’s learning and development through all aspects of the EYFS curriculum. For example, we have a Literacy shed outside that enhances and supports the children’s learning and development in reading, writing and communication and language. We are fortunate to have our own Pre-School outdoor space with a gate giving us access to the school’s garden where we like to make mud pies in the mud kitchen, dig for treasure in the digging pit and search for different creatures in the pond. We use the newly developed EYFS Physical Development equipment alongside the Reception children to support our gross motor, balance and body control.

When inside the children can explore a range of different learning opportunities such as developing their creative skills in the art area with the use of paints, glue and many different medium to manipulate and create. They can become budding scientists by exploring resources such as animals, plants and weather linked to developing their understanding of the world around them. We can often be found outside in the rain in our wellies with brooms and bubbles.

We know that Communication and Language is crucial to children’s learning and development and we have this in abundance throughout our setting. One example is our roleplay area. Our roleplay area promotes language and creativity for all children at differing developmental stages. You can find the children in here looking after babies, making dinner and talking on the telephone.

Our main priority for the children when they start is their Personal, Social and Emotional Development. We support the children in understanding their emotions, talking about them and helping them to begin to learn how to regulate these emotions. We encourage and support the children to be independent throughout their time with us, encouraging them to put on their own coats, wash their hands before eating and cutting up their own snack. We promote the development of the Characteristics of Effective Learning throughout our provision and interactions with the children.

We have regular stories as we believe that listening to and joining in with stories is fundamental to developing the children’s communication and language skills as well as supporting their creativity through retelling of familiar stories. Our children have loved retelling the Billy Goats Gruff with props and on the outdoor bridge. As part of our daily routine, we teach early phonics skills through stories, games and fun listening  activities.

We enjoy singing number songs together, counting within our environment and using the mathematics area within our provision to support and enhance the children’s mathematical knowledge and understanding. Although we have a ‘maths area,’ we understand that mathematics happens everywhere and we promote it throughout all areas of our provision and interactions with children from counting how many plates at the snack table to how many candles we may need on our playdough cakes! We know that numbers aren't the only area of mathematics that children need in order to succeed in their development. We encourage recognition of shapes within the environment and the mathematical language surrounding space and measures that are crucial to children’s Communication and Language development.

Our focus for our children is to support them to secure the three prime areas of the EYFS.

• Communication and Language
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Physical Development

We know that in order for children to be confident learners and to have the best possible start to their school journey they need to have a solid foundation in these areas. Therefore, most of our learning and development is centered on these areas. However, if a child shows an interest in any of the specific areas they are supported and encouraged to explore and develop in this area further through interactions with adults and through the provision provided.

Specific areas:

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding of the World
• Expressive Arts and Design

Key Worker Time

We have key worker time throughout our week. This is the time when a child's key worker (the person responsible for tracking the child's learning and development) is able to spend time with a group of children and focus on the children’s interests and next steps to extend or support their learning and development based on the observations they have made of their children. Each child’s key worker has the opportunity to support and extend their children within our continuous provision, developing their next steps and key areas for development. Later in the year, children that will be starting school have the opportunity to join in with the Reception children from the school in their Discovery Time sessions supported by their key worker to enhance their skills further and to support their transition into school.

Planning in the moment

We believe in following the children’s interests and know that the best learning will come from the children leading it themselves. Therefore, we use the approach of planning in the moment. Staff observe the children and note down what they are interested in, this is then used to enhance the environment to support play and plan opportunities for the children to take part in. Recently, the children have been interested in different foods and what they like and dislike. Therefore, we have been talking lots about different fruits and vegetables, eating them in snack time and making vegetable soup.

We aim to give children a broad and balanced curriculum that enables them to develop throughout all areas, ignite their curiosity and nurture their naturally inquisitive minds!