Learning Journey | Curriculum | Little Bears Day Nursery
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Learning at Little Owls
Little Owls is always seeking for fresh approaches to enhance our curriculum in order to promote growth and raise participation. Recently, additional information based on practitioner-led guidance called Birth to Five Matters was published. Therefore, going forward, we’ll employ Birth to Five as a tool in the nursery in addition to Development Matters. The EYFS framework has also been modified beginning on September 1, 2021, to emphasise how to improve outcomes at the age of five.
The EYFS revisions have given us at Little Owls the opportunity to spend less time on paperwork and documentation and more time with the children to help them develop in the key areas targeted by EYFS 21, which are physical development and literacy, with a stronger focus on pre-reception literacy with linking language to understanding to reading and writing. In order to promote mathematics from a young age in a fun and engaging way, there will be a stronger emphasis on shapes and spatial thinking. Additionally, a bigger emphasis will be put on using art and design to understand the world and foster creativity. Knowing that each child is unique, we can help them focus and concentrate better by using tools like CoEl (characteristics of effective learning), which encourages children to play and discover new things while also thinking critically and coming up with their own solutions to problems.
How will this affect how Little Owls teaches its children and how they develop as individuals? With less paperwork, we can focus more on preparing the short- and medium-term curriculum while also having more time to get to know the children better and understand and appreciate their passions and interests. This hands-on time aids in encouraging a more positive present-moment presence and modifies the curriculum to encourage children’s engagement.
What is EYFS?
The Early Years Foundation Stage ( EYFS ) establishes guidelines for your child’s learning, development, and care from birth to age five. The EYFS must be followed by all schools and Ofsted-registered early years providers, including childminders, preschools, nurseries, and school reception classrooms. Read More
Understanding COEL
The focus on how children learn has enormous potential to revolutionise early childhood education and enable children to become confident, creative lifelong learners. These qualities, according to research, can be aided or impeded by the experiences that children have. Read More
Development Matters & Birth to Five
Development Matters and Birth to Five are both non-statutory guidance written by the government and practitioners respectively. You can read more on both methods here. Here at Little Owls will be using a hybrid of the two. Development matters and birth to five.
Learning Tools
The resources at Little Owls are crucial to encouraging engagement and development. In addition to the day activities delivered by the Little Owls Team we provide the following activities;
Music classes with Jo Jingles
Drama Class for toddlers and pre school and sensory for babies
Sports coaching for all ages to improve physical health and fine and gross motor skills.
The Great Outdoors
The environment is essential and it must provide a sense of safety and security. In addition to providing a stable emotional environment, the indoor and outdoor setting emphasises how a child will develop and learn. Our outdoor areas are designed to encourage children to study and explore while using their imaginations. In addition to general play, we utilise the space to learn about nature, the elements, insects, and the weather. A rainy day at Little Owls offers a chance for ‘in-the-moment’ learning, allowing children to examine and grasp different weather situations. No matter what time of year it is, Insect Motel has something to teach you about weather and insects.