Early Childhood Education
The learning environment in the early years is exceptional. All staff share the same high ambitions for what children can achieve. Leaders’ carefully constructed curriculum ensures that adults plan purposeful learning activities. Every learning opportunity captures children’s interest and inspires them.
Ofsted, November 2022
Getting it right from the start
We believe that the early years of development are the most important as this is when children form who they are as individuals. We strongly value the relationships children build during this time, the experiences they have and the importance of working together to ensure positive transition processes between the Nursery and Reception stages of our Early Childhood Education Centre.
At Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre, Nursery and Reception pupils initially begin school on a part-time basis to settle them quickly and to develop trusting relationships. Staff working across our Early Childhood Education Centre get to know each child personally in their first weeks of school and this allows them to support children to make rapid progress and ensures we are able to support each unique child to fulfil their full potential.
Children attending our Early Childhood Education Centre access the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and engage in learning primarily through first-hand experiences. Our Early Childhood Education Centre staff carefully observe, assess and plan for pupils’ individual needs using our bespoke Being me approach.
Communication and language
Physical development
Personal, social and emotional development
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the world
Expressive arts and design
Learning through play
At Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre we recognise that young children learn best when they are active and, therefore, all of the above areas of learning and development are implemented through planned and purposeful play and a careful mix of adult-led and child-initiated opportunities. Pupils experience this exciting and enriching curriculum both indoors and outdoors, and it is designed to be developmentally appropriate and to meet the needs of all children.
Our curriculum is built around the context of our pupils, what is significant to them, and our locality; this allows us to make learning meaningful and relevant to all pupils whilst ensuring it is meticulously designed from the fundamentals of our Being me approach. Our curriculum is creative and play-based and challenges each child to achieve their individual potential. Whilst attending our Early Childhood Education Centre, pupils are encouraged to become independent and active learners through effective teaching and learning opportunities which enable them to independently practice skills which have been explicitly taught through our world-class learning environment. Active learning and creative thinking are critical to each child’s development as this inspires them to gain a curiosity of the world around them, develop their social skills and develop the motivation to try new activities.
A great emphasis is placed on the notion of play as it is through this means that children experience stimulation, wellbeing and happiness. Play is a powerful motivator, encouraging children to be creative and to develop their ideas, understanding and language. Staff working across our Early Childhood Education Centre work with all pupils across Nursery and Reception to help gain a deep understanding of each unique child and what it means to ‘be them’; this enables us to tailor scaffolded learning opportunities which support each child’s progress and development. To ensure that children are continually stimulated and interested, we plan and provide suitably challenging and motivating learning opportunities based on pupils’ individual interests and support them to access these through careful and sensitive adult interactions.
Through our Being me approach, teaching and learning is planned to enable the majority of pupils to reach our ‘When I am ready for school’ milestones and, therefore, achieve the Early Learning Goals for each area of learning by the time they transition from Reception to Key Stage One. Pupils’ progress is regularly observed and assessed using our Being me guidance so that staff can plan effectively to support the development of each child.
Developing children’s communication and language skills is a strong focus across our Early Childhood Education Centre because of its importance to secure future success across all areas of learning and in preparation for Key Stage One education. Children are given opportunities to talk and communicate in a widening range of situations, respond to adults and each other, listen carefully when appropriate and have opportunities to explore, enjoy and learn through our language-rich environment. We use a range of carefully developed strategies tailored to the abilities and developmental stages of our pupils to support them in developing a wide vocabulary, a deep understanding of the language they are using and skills such as speaking in full and extended sentences.
Pupils attending our Early Childhood Education Centre engage in high-quality learning experiences both indoors and outdoors.
Outdoor learning
All pupils attending our Early Childhood Education Centre have continuous access to our bespoke early years outdoor learning environment, enabling us to facilitate an increasingly flexible approach to teaching our youngest pupils.
Our Early Childhood Education Garden and Outdoor Classroom includes features such as a river bed, giant water wall, a texture kitchen, a stage, a sit-in sandpit, a play tower and large construction area, an elevated tree house and a bike and trike riding zone.
