Curriculum

At Daisychain The Early Years Foundation Stage framework (2017) is at the heart of what we offer for your child. Here is a brief account of how we promote the EYFS framework in the setting.

For a more informative account of the EYFS (2017) please click on link below

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2

Unique Child

Child Development - Competent learner

●   Build on what children can do.
●   First hand meaningful experiences.
●   Child-initiated play.

Skilful Communicator

Enjoyable, high quality adult/child interactions: practitioners comment, explain, repeat, expand vocabulary.
Inclusive Practice

●   Early identification and support.
●   Partnership with parents and other multi-agency professionals.
●   Respectful attitudes and knowledge of different needs and cultures.
●   Accessible & enabling environment
●   Visual timetable, signing.
●   Signs in home languages (EAL).

Keeping safe

●   Warm responsive care.
●   Effective safeguarding policy.
●   Know dietary and medical needs.
●   Safe, secure environment; clear, consistent boundaries and routines.
●   Help children to learn to assess risks and how they can keep safe.
●   Support children to make choices.

Health and Well-Being

●   Healthy snacks /meals.
●   Fresh drinking water.
●   Warm supportive relationships.
●   Use of outdoor environment to provide fresh air and        exercise.
●   Balance of physically active and restful activities
●   Hygienic and healthy environment.

Positive Relationship

Supporting Learning

●   Observe and listen to children.
●   Build positive relationships.
●   Act as children’s “Play Partners”,
●   “Co-explorers / Co-researchers” and as “Facilitators” for
     learning.
●   Model active listening.
●   Model being a learner and help children to reflect on their
     learning.

Respecting Each Other

●   Consult, listen to and value parents’ and children’s
     contributions.
●   Close co-operative staff team.
●   Circle time, stories to promote understanding and respect for
     different needs, views, cultures.
●   Help children understand feelings and build friendships.
●   British values.

Parents as Partners

●   Parents welcomed into setting.
●   Parents’ notice board.
●   Newsletters.
●   Parents contribute to learning journeys/ diaries.
●   Parents’ workshops.
●   Open evenings / parents’ evenings
●   Dialogue and mutual respect.

Key Person

●   Key Person gets to know the children really well, responds
     sensitively to their feelings, ideas and behaviour and helps
     them feel settled, secure and confident.
●   Key person has regular dialogue with parents.
●   Support children’s transitions.

Observation, Assessment and Planning

●   Objective Planning.
●   Observe, reflect on learning and development and plan next steps.
●   Document Learning Stories.
●   Develop Mind Maps with the children to inform planning.
●   Track children’s progress.
●   Two year old children’s reviews

 
Supporting Every Child

●   Individual Learning Journeys.
●   Plan appropriate, realistic experiences that match children’s
     developmental needs and build on children’s interests.
●   Differentiate experiences for those who need extra support or
     challenge.
●   Partnership with parents.

 
The Learning Environment

●   Warm, empathetic and supportive emotional environment.
●   Balance of indoors and outdoors.
●   Children involved in planning layout, keeping everything tidy.
●   Flexible use of space.
●   Good quality /open-ended resources.
●   Communication Friendly Spaces.

The Wider Context

●   Good communication with other local settings to
     smooth transition, support continuity of learning and
     consistency of care; reciprocal visits; shared
     activities.
●   Good links with health visitors.
●   Visitors from local community.
●   Activities using local environment
●   Visits/Outings. Visits to local school

Play and Exploration

●   Challenging skill based environment inside and outside where
     children’s play can be supported and extended; open- ended
     resources and flexible spaces.
●   Observe, value and facilitate children’s play, join in as
     play partners and co-explorers.
●   Support and extend communication.

Active Learning

●   Individual Learning Journeys.
●   Accessible environment to promote choice and independent
     learning.
●   Give children time for sustained involvement in self-chosen
     activities/ investigations.
●   Staff challenge and extend children’s thinking.

Creativity and Critical Thinking

●   Balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities.
●   Open ended creative resources always available for individual
     exploration.
●   ‘Sustained Shared Thinking’.
●   Use documented ‘Learning Stories’ to talk to parents and
     children about learning that has taken place.

Areas of Learning and Development

●   Plans ensure all prime and specific areas of learning are
     covered; Informed by children’s interests and needs.
●   Holistic, cross-curricular experiences.
●   Underpinned by principles of EYFS.

Literacy
●   Sharing stories, Puppets and story props.
●   Sound and letters. 
●   Print rich environment
●   Opportunities for mark making
●   Model reading and writing

Mathematics
●   Real-life maths problems
●   Explore mathematical concepts through child-initiated
     activities
●   Indoor and outdoor environments
●   Number rhymes, stories, games, 
●   Construction and block play

Understanding of the World
●   Exploration and investigation. Small world play. Multi-sensory
     environment. Natural objects.
●   Local walks/visits and visitors. Home links.
●   Cooking; Designing and making.
●   Range of ICT/Technology equipment e.g. Laptop, iPad and
     large touch screen wall mounted computer.
●   Experience different cultures

Expressive Arts and Design
●   Music, songs and dance. 
●   Value creativity and originality. 
●   Exploring materials and tools.
●   Multi-sensory experiences. 
●   Imaginative play, role play, dressing-up, art, design, etc.