Planning and Activities

We plan the children’s activities by taking the time to listen and talk to both children and their parents so that we discover the children’s current interests and find out what matters to them at this point in time. This helps us provide activities and opportunities that are relevant and meaningful to them. Having an existing interest means that the children will have enthusiasm confidence and motivation to take part and enjoy the curriculum we provide. We will use our expertise and understanding of children’s development to extend open ended learning opportunities without prescribed uniformed outcomes, every child gaining and learning what they require at any given time.
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Any interest that the children or single child may be explored by enhancing our continuous provision by adding interest based resources to the areas of provision. By adding interested based resources to the continuous provided provision the children can choose to join in with the current interest or pursue their own interest and learn independently. We recognize that children require different lengths of time to explore their interests in depth and to discover and develop their own ideas and outcomes. The role of the staff is to use the children’s interest to create the best possible learning opportunities for each individual child.

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We do this by:
• Enhancing the continuous provision to reflect the interests of children.
• Planning these enhancements to provide meaningful learning opportunities across the EYFS framework
• Observe at first and then decide when or if to step into the children’s play to allow for the free flow of the children’s learning
• To recognize children need various lengths of time from 5 minutes to 5 days to explore their own ideas and their own outcomes of learning.
• We need to model skills, language and behaviours’ to aid the children’s development.
• We recognize how observation, assessment and reflection is part of our own development and understanding of what and how children are learning and developing and how these will inform our future plans for the children.
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The equipment and activities which we provide in school for the children will be appropriate to the ages and stages of the children within the nursery. It will offer challenges to develop their physical, social, personal and intellectual skills.
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We will enable children with adult support, to develop individual potential and work through all areas of development of the framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
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All our equipment will conform to all relevant safety regulations and will be sound, well made and checked on a daily basis before and after use.
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We provide positive images of people, both male and female, from a range of ethnic and cultural groups with and without disabilities. They show positive role models avoiding stereotypical or poor images of any group of people.
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Any equipment we have will be adapted to allow children with additional or special needs to take part in activities or for them to be able to use a piece equipment with support as necessary.
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We will include a range of raw materials, which can be used in a variety of ways and encourages an open ended approach to creativity and problem solving, the taking part and discovery of new skills being of importance and not the end product.

All early years providers must by law deliver, regardless of type, size or funding of the setting deliver the learning and development requirements as set out in the Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage September 2012 in a way which reflects the needs of the individual children in their care and is appropriate to their setting.
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Children are competent learners from birth and develop and learn in a wide variety of ways.
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All practitioners should, therefore, look carefully at the children in their care, consider their needs, their interests, and their stages of development and use all of this information to help plan a challenging and enjoyable experience across all the areas of Learning and Development. The Childcare Act 2006 provides for the EYFS learning and development requirements to comprise three elements:
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• The early learning goals – the knowledge, skills and understanding which young children should have acquired by the end of the academic year in which they reach the age of five;
• The educational programs – the matters, skills and processes which are required to be taught to young children;
• The assessment arrangements – the arrangements for assessing young children to ascertain their achievements
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There are seven areas of learning and development that must shape educational programmes in early year’s settings. Three areas are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive. These three areas, the PRIME areas, are
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• Personal, Social and Emotional Development;
• Communication, Language
• Physical Development
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These three the interlinks with these SPECIFIC areas
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• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the World;
• Expressive Arts and Design
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None of these areas of Learning and Development can be delivered in isolation from the others. They are equally important and depend on each other to support a rounded approach to child development. All the areas must be delivered through planned, purposeful play, with a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities.
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Communication, Language
Our activities involve giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment; to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves; and to speak and listen in a range of situations.
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Physical development
We provide opportunities for young children to be active and interactive; and to develop their co-ordination, control, and movement. We also help to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy choices in relation to food.
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Personal, Social and Emotional Development
We provide experiences and support that will help children develop a positive self image a positive image of their family and of others. We help and support children build up respect for themselves and others. We aim to provide them with social skills; and a positive willingness to learn. We support the children’s emotional well-being by helping them to learn about themselves and what they can do.
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Literacy
We encourage children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. We give children access to a wide range of reading materials (books, poems, and other written materials) to ignite their interest.
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Mathematics
We support children in developing their understanding of mathematics enjoy, learn, practice and talk about their developing understanding. We present them with opportunities to practice and extend their skills in this area and to gain confidence and competence in their use.
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Understanding the World
We provide experiences and encourage children in developing the knowledge, skills and understanding that help them to make sense of the world. We support their learning through offering opportunities for them to use a range of tools safely; encounter mini beasts and animals, people, plants and objects in their natural environments and in real-life situations; so that children can undertake practical ‘experiments’; and work with a range of materials.
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Expressive arts and design
We help and encourage children’s creativity, curiosity, exploration and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play, and design and technology.