Curriculum

Curriculum statement: At Clyde we offer a broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum to all children in our school, enabling them to access a wide range of learning experiences and opportunities. We follow the Statutory Early Years curriculum supported by Development matters.

Through skilful observation and assessment, activities and opportunities are planned to encourage the children to gain lifelong learning skills with the minimum of pressure and lots of fun.

A balance of child initiated and adult led activities encourages the children to discover a wide range of subjects through play and exploration and prepares them to progress confidently onto the next stage of their learning. At Clyde we recognise the importance of working with parents in all aspects of the care and education of their child. We welcome their input and knowledge and are happy to discuss any aspect of their child's development. The aim of the nursery is to plan a curriculum using the EYFS to provide the children with learning experiences of the highest quality, considering both children’s needs and achievements and the range of learning experiences that will help them to make progress towards (and, where appropriate, beyond) these goals.

Working through the different layers of learning and core experiences, we are equipping children to be:

• Independent, curious and autonomous learners
• Resilient
• Confident problem solvers
• Great negotiators
• Able to recognise and write names
• Able to follow routines
• Able to communicate with their peers and adults
• Able to recognise and take care of their physical needs independently
• Be creative and expressive in different ways

Our curriculum is structured with what is called  “Layers of learning”. These layers are:

• Tuning into children’s interests
• Literacy and phonics-reading everywhere! Books everywhere!
• Maths
• Rhythms of the year
• Core experiences (continuous provision)
• Enhanced core experiences
• Core experiences in the garden area

The 7 areas of the Early Years foundation Stage weaved into our curriculum are as follows:

Prime Areas:

• Personal Social and emotional Development

 We aim to help all the children become more adaptable and confident. To believe in themselves and their own abilities and to develop an ‘I can do it’ attitude. We know that high self-esteem and the creation of a good “self picture” within the children is a very important key to success. We know that the relationship we build with you and your child is an essential part of this and this is why every family is allocated a Key-person, who will work closely with you to ensure that our Curriculum is tailored to meet the needs of your child.

 Social development

 This is a very important area. It includes being socially aware of the needs of others, e.g. sharing and being fair, reasoning out disagreements rather than using physical measures, co-operating with others, forming relationships with other children and adults, and helping to care for plants and animals. The beginnings of independence are fostered in the children, by encouraging them to cope with their own clothing, washing and toilet needs. This idea of doing as much as possible by themselves encourages them to be aware of the needs of others too e.g. an older or more able child helping a younger less able child. Another aspect of social development is that the children are encouraged to leave a piece of equipment, or an activity as they would wish to find it. They are also encouraged generally to help with the preparation and clearing away of activities, and everyone helps at “clearing up time”! Children tidy – adults support!

• Physical Development

This is a crucial area in your child’s development as many children learn best through physically active play. We plan activities inside and out that will develop your child’s coordination, balance, control and movement. Activities that will raise your child’s confidence and ability to take safe, manageable risks and that will help your child to feel the positive benefits of being healthy and active.

Outside your child will be working on a large scale and will develop confidence in climbing, balancing, running, skipping, manoeuvring and steering etc. They will also develop body co-ordination and spatial awareness. The fine motor skills necessary for controlling tools and manipulating objects are developed through construction toys, cutting, threading, sewing, woodwork and cookery experiences as well as through tactile materials like dough and clay.

• Communication and Language

In order to support the children’s development in communication language and literacy we plan an environment that is rich in signs, symbols, notices, numbers, words, rhymes music and songs and we provide lots of relaxed time for sustained conversation between adults and children, both in small groups and individually. We ensure that children have time to initiate conversations and we respect their thinking time and silences. Many of our children are learning English as an additional language and we respect and value this, developing the children’s awareness of different languages and different scripts

Specific areas of learning

• Literacy
• Understanding the world
• Mathematics
• Expressive Arts and Design

For more information about the Statutory Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum please click here .

To read our "Layers of Learning" Curriculum, please click here

To find out more on Development matters, click here