Early Learning Curriculum

We have created a rich, stimulating environment designed to promote all aspects of children’s development and offering a wealth of fun. It is abundant in opportunities for your child to explore, learn and develop supported by committed, skilled and dedicated practitioners. Your child can play happily, confidently and feeling secure that all their needs will be carefully met.

Following the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), our practitioners plan exciting experiences for the children that encourage them to reach their full potential with a balance of child initiated and adult led activities.

The EYFS sets the standards to ensure that children develop, learn well and are kept healthy and safe. The skills, abilities
and knowledge that a child is likely to learn in the vital years between birth and five are divided into 7 areas of learning
and development.

This includes three Prime Areas:

And four Specific Areas:

Importantly, the EYFS recognises that children learn through playing and exploring, active learning and creating and thinking critically. These “Characteristics of Effective Learning” are central to our planning and provision.

Learning, Development & Assessment

Learning through play

Play helps young children to learn and develop through doing and talking. Research has shown to be the means by which young children learn to think. At Brick by Brick we use the practice guidance EYFS to plan and provide a range of play activities which help children to progress in each of the areas of learning and development. In some of these activities children decide how they will use the activity and, in others, an adult takes the lead in helping the children to take part in the activity.

Assessment

At Brick by Brick we assess how young children are learning and developing by observing them frequently. We use information that we gain from observations as well as photographs, to document their progress and where this may be leading them. We believe that parents know their children best and we ask them to contribute to assessment by sharing information about what their children do at home and how they as parents are supporting the development.

Learning Journal

We keep a Learning Journal for each child at Brick by Brick.
Staff and parents working together on their child’s journal is
one of the ways in which the Key Person and parents work in partnership. Your child’s Learning Journal helps us to celebrate their achievements and to work together to provide what your child needs for their well-being and to make progress.

Working together for your children

We maintain a higher ratio of adults to children in the setting that is set through the Welfare Requirements. These ratios help us to

Parental participation

At Brick by Brick we recognise parents as the first and most important educators of their children. Our staff see themselves as partners with parents in providing care and education for their child. There are many ways in which parents can contribute in making the pre-school a welcoming and stimulating environment and parents, such as

The Key Person and your child

We use a Key Person system. This means that each member
of staff has a dedicated group of children for whom they are responsible. Your child’s Key Person will work with you to ensure that what we provide is right for your child’s particular needs
and interests. When your child first starts at Brick by Brick, the
Key Person will help them to settle and to benefit from the
pre-school’s activities during their time with us.

The Pre-School’s timetable and routines

We believe that care and education are equally important in the experience we offer the children at Brick by Brick. The routines and activities that make up the day are provided in ways that

The session

We organise our sessions so that the children can choose from, and work at, a range of activities, and in doing so, build on their ability to select and work through a task to its completion. The children are also helped and encouraged to take part in adult-led small and large group activities which introduce them to new experiences and help them to gain new skills, as well as helping them to work with others. Outdoor activities contribute to the children’s health, their physical development and their knowledge of the world around them. The children have the opportunity, and are encouraged to take part in outdoor child-chosen and adult-led activities, as well as those provided in the indoor playroom.

Policies

Our policies are available to view in the parent’s area. We would request that all new parents read the policies, copies of which are available on request. Our policies enable us to ensure that the service provided by the pre-school is of the highest quality and that being a member of Brick by Brick is an enjoyable and beneficial experience for each child and their parents.

Safeguarding children

We have a duty under the law to help safeguard children against suspected or actual ‘significant harm’.

Our employment practices insure children against the likelihood of abuse in our setting and we have a procedure for managing complaints or allegations against a member of staff.

Our way of working with children and their parents ensures we are aware of any problems that may emerge and can offer support, including referral to appropriate agencies when necessary to help families in difficulty. The pre-school’s Designated Lead responsible for Safeguarding is Angie Gaubert.

Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND)

As part of the setting’s policy to ensure that it’s provision meets the needs of each individual child, we take account of any special needs a child might have. We work to the requirements of the 2002 Education Act and The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice (2014). The pre-school’s Special Needs Co-ordinator is Angie Gaubert.