Each child achieves in the development areas through play, by child initiated, structured activities and individual choice. Learning is based around the child’s interests through Individual Learning Plans, in the moment planning, Group Learning Intention plans, Continuous Provision Plans and general observations whilst your child is playing. All individual planned learning is tailored around your child’s interests as a starting point and continues throughout their learning. Group planning includes a range of experiences including, books and stories, cooking, planting, senses, letters, numbers, shapes, religious festivals and trips out.

Defining School Readiness

We encourage all children to be ready to transfer to school by adopting the principles below.
‘ Children should start school healthy, happy, communicative, sociable, curious, active and ready and equipped for the next stage of life and learning’ (Supporting families in the Foundation Years 2011)
‘Being prepared for school is not simply about knowing letters and numbers, It is about making sure that children are ready to make friends, to play, to ask for what they need and say what they think (Sarah Teather, 2012)

We encourage children to manage their own hygiene and personal needs, be sociable, have good all round physical abilities, have a voice, and be confident communicators.

Little Saints is Ofsted inspected and follows the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (National Standards) and the Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

Children’s care and learning needs are based around the 4 themes of the EYFS, a Unique Child, Positive Relationships, Enabling Environments and Learning and Development, and their principles and commitments.

Each child that attends Little Saints who are between 2 and 3 years will be provided with a 2 to 3 years Progress Check which we will carry out. All children that attend Little Saints has a ‘My Learning Journey’ which contains observations, information, photographs and ‘wow’ moments. This learning journey is shared with parents termly, and the Key Person provides a simple summary of the child’s learning at an arranged meeting.

Each child will achieve in the development areas  through play, by structured activities and individual choice. Learning will be based around the child’s interests through Individual Learning Plans, Group Focus Plans and general observations.

Key persons and staff members will plan and take observations and photographs and record ‘wow’ moments. These will be put into the child’s personal My Learning Journey evidence book for you to have when the child is ready to leave us.

Your child’s key person will endeavour to speak to the parent/guardian and the child on a weekly basis to plan Individual Learning Opportunities and will make an appointment with the parent/guardian to discuss the child’s progress at least once a term, where they will have an opportunity to see the child’s Learning Journey. However they may discuss their child’s progress and access their child’s profile by making an appointment with their child’s key person at anytime.

Parents are involved in their child’s development right from the start. All parents complete an All about me and all about my child form before they start, are invited to an open morning or induction morning before their child’s start date. All children are asked to bring along an all about me box to start their developmental journey, so we know right from the start your child’s interests.

EYFS Statutory Framework

Development Matters

Children are defined as having reached a Good Level of Development at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage, if they have achieved at least the expected level in the Early Learning Goals in both of the following areas:

Characteristics of Effective Learning

This is achieved through :
A Unique Child- observing how a child is learning.

Positive Relationships-what adults could do.

Enabling Environments-what adults could provide.

Achievement, provision and observation in these areas and by practitioners teaching each child by ensuring challenging, playful opportunities across the prime and specific areas of learning and development ensures that each child fosters the Characteristics of effective early learning by :

• Playing and Exploring
• Active Learning
• Creating and thinking critically

The  Prime Areas of development are:

Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Children will learn to be happy, confident, have high self-esteem and respect other people and their different cultures and religions. This is achieved through discussion and play activities.
Children will learn independence; working independently at an activity, learn how to fasten coats. Friendships are encouraged and behavioral expectations are taught through play.

Communication and Language
Listening, understanding and speaking is encouraged through discussion, a variety of stories, songs, rhymes and poems. Each child is able to participate at their own stage of development.

Physical Development
Children are given opportunities to move in a variety of ways through dance, drama and musical movement. We use a variety of music from classical, cultural and popular to children’s favourites.
Our indoor and outdoor equipment encourages children to develop their physical co-ordination through riding bikes, using the climbing frame and slide, see-saws, catching balls, jumping through hoops and crawling through tunnels with adult supervision to ensure safety.
Children also learn to develop their fine motor skills by using small equipment such as pencils, crayons, scissors and other small instruments with adult supervision.

Specfic Areas of Development are:

Literacy
Children are encouraged to mark-make, draw, paint, trace, leading onto forming letters and saying alphabetical sounds. Children have access to many information and story books to lead them into early reading and knowing that information and stories can come from printed words. This also provides children with the knowledge that print and information is all around us in the environment.

Understanding the World
Children love to explore and are given opportunities to explore in and around our environment. This can be mini beasts, lifecycles, water, growth, time, as well as lots of other scientific topics. We watch a caterpillar evolve into a butterfly in our butterfly habitat and observe the homes of mini beasts and pond life.
Children have opportunities to cook and taste a variety of foods from all around the world and learn about different cultures and communities.
Children can use construction sets to build and design their own creations. We also learn about technology in the world today, computers, tape recorders, remote controlled cars and road safety to name but a few.
Through all these activities children can observe, explore, experiment (with adult supervision) build, ask and answer questions and are given the chance to discuss life experiences, predict, problem solve and to form conclusions.

Mathematics
We have a variety of mathematical equipment to encourage children to learn counting, numbers, shapes, sizes, positions, patterns, weights and measures, eventually leading onto simple addition, subtraction and division. A variety of books, games, songs and visual props provide opportunities for learning in this area.

Expressive Arts and Design
Children are encouraged to explore and design using craft materials and different techniques including, colour, collages, painting, drawing, moulding, junk modelling in small and large scale. We have a wide range of craft equipment such as, glue, sellotape, pencils, crayons and paints. Materials such as tissue paper, pasta, wool, textured, natural and media are always available.
Children can explore their senses through experiences and learn about sight, taste, smell, touch and hearing.
Children explore their imagination through role-play; this can be portrayed using the home corner, shop and theatre and outside area (large boxes, materials, ropes, pegs and so forth). Role play and imagination experiences are endless and the home corner is constantly changing to become whatever the children want it to be. Children also get the opportunity to put on shows using puppets or the dressing up clothes, becoming whoever or whatever they want to be.

Cultural and community learning
We encourage children to learn about a variety of cultures, religions and events such as, Chinese New Year, Christmas, Diwali, Hanukkah, Easter, Rosh Hashana, Harvest, World Book Day, Comic/sports relief and participation in outside fundraising charity events.