The Nursery Curriculum

At Wildground children learn through play, they can choose their own activities and materials to develop their own preferences and independence, members of staff work alongside them extending their learning and development. We plan for children’s learning using PLODs. This is where we take the children’s current interests and plan around these. From the PLOD we plan our enhancements, which are activities that will enrich our continuous provision and allow children to learn and achieve their next steps within their development. (See further below for a more in depth description of PLODs). In addition to our PLODs, core texts inspire our curriculum  as well our curriculum map. The curriculum map focusses on important events and seasons throughout the school year. We plan small achievable learning goals for each child and review these targets each week and then set new goals.

What is a PLOD?

In Early Years we use an approach to planning called PLODS (Possible Lines of Development). We start by taking the interests of the children and then think of a range of possible activities that could take place, linking them to the aspects of the EYFS curriculum. The PLODS evolve and change over time so they are always reflective of the children's interests and we add PLODS if new interests emerge. The activities will be set up in the environment to help the children achieve the next step in their learning.

Areas of Learning and Development

Your child will be learning skills, acquiring new knowledge and demonstrating their understanding in 7 areas of learning and development. Our curriculum focuses on developing the three prime areas first, which are most essential for your child's healthy development and future learning. These are:

• COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE
• PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
• PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. 

All three prime areas are always in action for a young child. In every activity the child is experiencing feelings and developing a sense of self and others They are physically engaged through their senses and movements and they are learning to understand and communicate with others. It is through these aspects that a child access the world around them and relationships with other people, which in turn opens the door to learning in all areas. The prime areas therefore strongly influence learning in the specific areas of learning and development. 

As children grow, the next specific areas we focus on are:
 

• LITERACY
• MATHEMATICS
• UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD
• EXPRESSIVE ARTS AND DESIGN

Children in the EYFS learn by playing and exploring, being active, and through creative and critical thinking which takes place both indoors and outside. The Areas of Learning and Development affect each other. For example, developing communication and language will support children to understand and explain mathematical ideas. Developing physical skills allows children to be more active explorers and therefore enhance their progress within Understanding the world. The more concepts they develop within understanding the World, the more they will be able to relate to books and in turn support their development in Literacy. Experiences and activities that relate to the Ares of Learning and Development, when they offer children opportunities to have autonomy and develop their own ideas, can also provide the contexts for children to practise their learning behaviours, and will enable the reinforcement of the Characteristics of Effective Learning. 

Characteristics of Effective Learning

Whilst planning and thinking about the individual children in setting we must ensure we are thinking about the different ways in which children learn. This is guided by the characteristics of effective learning. These are:

• PLAYING AND EXPLORING – Children investigate and experience things and ‘have a go’.
• ACTIVE LEARNING – children concentrate and keep in trying if they encounter difficulties.
• CREATING AND THINKING CRITICALLY – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas and develop strategies for going things.

To learn well, children must approach opportunities with curiosity, energy and enthusiasm. Effective learning must be meaningful, to a child, so that they are able to use they have have learned and apply it in new situations. These abilities and attitude of strong learners will support them to learn well and make good progress in all the Areas of Learning and Development. 

Tapestry

We use Tapestry to document your child's earning journey to record your child's wow moment in their learning and development. In addition, we would love for you to upload your child's wow moments at home. Below we have added a short video clip to talk you through the process. We cannot wait to see all their wow moments!

"Tapestry builds a very special record of a child’s experiences, development and learning journey through their early years and primary education. Using photos, videos, and diary entries, a teacher or early years educator, along with the child’s parents or carers, and the child themselves if they’re ready, ‘weaves’ the story of the child and how they are growing and developing. The Tapestry platform then works seamlessly to enable these memories to be kept as a permanent record of each child’s unique journey. All information held in the platform is stored securely and can be downloaded and shared as required. Parents or carers are able to view their child’s progress, the activities provided for them, and how much fun they’re having, whilst also uploading their own comments and media. The communication between staff and parents that Tapestry enables, helps build a shared understanding of how every child can reach their full potential, from birth to the end of primary school. The Tapestry online learning journal is also available as an easy-to-use, secure app, meaning capturing key learning moments, and videoing milestones are even easier." 

Quoted from www.tapestry.info