• Our Curriculum.
• The three prime areas:
- Physical development.
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development.
- Understanding the world.
- Literacy.
- Mathematics.
- Expressive Arts and Design.
• Characteristics of effective learning.
Curriculum
Little Ange’s ensures that all children are supported in developing their potential at their own pace in the group; the Keypersons make sure the activities are planned to enable a curriculum tailored to the needs of each individual child. By means of developmentally appropriate play activities and a high level of individual adult input, we offer a curriculum which enables children to progress towards the early learning goals and profile points throughout the Foundation stage. There are three PRIME areas: Communication and language, Physical Development, Personal, Social and Emotional Development.
Little Ange’s aims to develop the children's confidence in expressing themselves and speaking and listening in a range of situations. In both small and large groups, children are encouraged to extend their vocabulary and fluency by talking and listening and by hearing and responding to stories, songs and rhymes. All rooms have book corners with puppets, teddies and musical instruments to support literacy and communication to make story time fun. We also have a small library in the sensory room that gives every child the opportunity and encouragement to become familiar with books, able to handle them and aware of their uses, both for reference and as a source of stories and pictures.
Our Nursery visits the local library to participate in the BOOKSTART 0-5 YEARS sessions that Camberwell Library hosts. This trip to the local library will help make story time fun for the children.
Physical development:
A range of equipment and opportunities, both indoors and outdoors and visiting our local park allows children to develop confidence and enjoyment in the use and development of their own bodily skills. A high level of adult supervision allows children to safely develop physical skills by creating and meeting challenges in moving, climbing, and balancing.
At the same time, children are helped to develop the fine motor skills they will need to use tools, including pens and pencils, and to handle small objects with greater control and precision. They are also encouraged to develop an awareness of their own bodies and of what keeps them healthy. We have Yoga time with Anny, who is the Health Trainer.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development:
Within a nurturing environment, children are individually supported in developing confidence, autonomy and self-respect. They are encouraged to work and concentrate independently and also to take part in group activities so that they understand appropriate behaviour in a group environment, sharing and cooperating with other children and adults.
Through activities, conversation and practical examples, they learn acceptable ways to express their own feelings and to have respect for the feelings of others. The children will have time in the sensory room to play with sensory toys and relax in a quiet room. All children are given the opportunity, as appropriate, to take responsibility for themselves and the group, its members and its property. We implement the BRITISH VALUE by teaching the children to be kind and respect others.
The final four areas are known as SPECIFIC areas of learning, and these are:
Understanding of the world:
A safe and stimulating environment allows children to observe and experiment with a range of natural and manufactured materials. They learn to recognise differences, patterns and similarities and to share and record their findings. Children are assisted in exploring and understanding their environment, both within the group and also in the wider community. They learn to respect other people and also to be respected back. A range of safe and well-maintained equipment, including technology, enables children to extend their technological understanding, using simple tools and techniques (ICT) as appropriate to achieve their intentions and solve problems.
Literacy:
Literacy development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children are helped to understand that written symbols carry meaning, to be aware of the purposes of writing and, when ready, to use drawn and written symbols for themselves. We operate a Pencil Control table where children can experience mark-making and improve their fine motor skills. They are also encouraged to form letters correctly, which primarily focuses on their names. They will be taught phonic sounds in a fun way.
Mathematics:
Children gain early experience in mathematics through activities like sorting, matching, ordering, sequencing, and counting with adult support. As they use their developing mathematical understanding to solve practical problems, children are assisted to learn and use the vocabulary of mathematics, identifying objects by shape, position, size, volume and number. Songs, games and picture books help children become aware of number sequences and, when they are ready, to use simple mathematical operations such as adding and subtracting.
Expressive Arts & Design:
Children are encouraged to use a wide range of resources in order to express their own ideas and feelings and to construct their individual responses to experience in two and three dimensions. Art equipment, including paint, glue, crayons and pencils, as well as natural and discarded resources, provides for open-ended exploration of colour, shape and texture and the development of skills in painting, drawing and collage. Children have numerous chances to participate in imaginative role-play, both as individuals and in groups, as well as respond to music, movement, dance, design, and technology.
Characteristics of Effective Learning.
We can observe that the children are exhibiting signs of effective learning from our activities by demonstrating effective learning behaviours. When children are showing signs of:
• Playing and Exploring – (Engagement): Finding out and exploring, playing with what they know, and being willing to “have a go”.
• Active Learning – (Motivation): Being involved and concentrating, Keep trying, and Enjoy achieving what they set out to do.
• Creative and Critical Thinking – (Thinking): Having their own ideas, Making links, Working with ideas.