“A child must know that he is a miracle, that since the beginning of the world there hasn’t been, and until the end of the world there will not be, another child like him.” ~ Pablo Casals
At Roborough Preschool we recognise that children are individuals. They are uniquely capable, creative and intelligent, and we maximise each child’s potential and level of engagement by developing a learning environment that supports and challenges each child, through their play, to build on their individual next steps in their learning and development. We believe that children flourish best in a safe and secure environment where children are free to develop their play and learning in an environment that promotes a culture of positive behaviour which ensures a safe, secure, and effective learning environment.
“Encouraging a child means that one or more of the following critical life messages are coming through, either by word or by action: I believe in you, I trust you, I know you can handle this, You are listened to, You are cared for, You are very important to me.” ~ Barbara Coloroso
Our curriculum is planned on a weekly basis to recognise each child’s prior learning, both from their experiences at preschool and at home. We work in partnership with parents, carers and other settings to provide them with the best possible start at Roborough Preschool, ensuring each individual receives a well-supported and secure settling-in period through our strong key worker system. Our children will then start their Early Years journey with us feeling safe, secure, cared for, individual and important. This will enable them to reach their full potential from their various starting points whilst they are with us so that they are ‘school ready’ when they leave for their Primary school to start the next stage of their Early Years education and learning.
Our curriculum is designed to enable children to succeed through cooperative and collaborative learning principles where there is a strong emphasis on the Prime Areas of learning; Communication and Language, Personal, Social and Emotional Development and Physical Development.
“Teaching is not about answering questions but about raising questions – opening doors for them in places that they could not imagine.” ~ Yawar Baig
We believe that high levels of engagement ensure high levels of attainment. We aim to provide an engaging curriculum that maximises opportunities for meaningful learning experiences, as well as promoting the unique child by offering extended periods of play and sustained shared thinking. We follow children’s interests and ideas to foster a lifelong love of learning both in and outside of preschool.
“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” ~ Albert Einstein
| Confident communicator | Independent Individual | Fantastic Friend | Amazing Athlete |
| I can listen carefully in a range of situations, hold a conversation, ask relevant questions, learn and use new vocabulary and and explain ideas and feelings. | I can follow simple rules, look after my own personal needs, know how to stay safe, fit and healthy, select my own resources, set my own challenges and persevere to achieve them. | I can be kind, caring and helpful, play co-operatively, understand my own and others’ feelings, be respectful to others’ thoughts, beliefs and ideas even if they are different to mine. | In my play I am strong, co-ordinated and have good balance. I can move confidently and safely in a range of different ways using various equipment. |
| Terrific Tools user | Literacy Legend | Maths Magician | Excellent Explorer |
| I can hold a pencil effectively, use a range of resources such as scissors, paintbrushes, hammers and screwdrivers both safely and confidently. | I can listen carefully to a variety of books and stories and retell accurately what I have heard, know that print has a meaning, I can hear and clap syllables, enjoy rhymes and rhyming words, recognise when sounds are the same and hear say and write letter sounds accurately. | I will develop a sense of maths around me and notice and use numbers. I will use my knowledge around maths concepts to explore my world around me. | I can show curiosity about the world around me and look after and care for my natural environment. Through my exploratory play both inside and outside I will learn about the world and the effect I can have on the environment. |
| Proud Performer & Dynamic Designer | Active Learner | Curious Thinker | Compassionate Citizen |
| I can perform a song and a dance, play a range of instruments to express my thoughts and feelings and use a rhythm, design and construct a range of different models with a variety of resources and say how I made it. | I can concentrate and keep on trying if I find something difficult, I am resilient and I enjoy and share my achievements. | I have my own ideas and develop them, I make links between ideas and develop my own strategies for doing things using my knowledge and past experiences. | I can help look after my community and my world around me, know that I am an individual as well as others and understand the differences between, people, places, cultures and celebrations. |
The Three Characteristics of Effective Learning (CoEL) underpin our practice. These are identified by the EYFS Guidance:
The focus of the CoEL is on how children learn rather than what they learn i.e. process over outcome. Driving the CoEL is the understanding that during their earliest years, children form attitudes about learning that will last a lifetime. Children who receive the right sort of support and encouragement during these years will be creative and adventurous learners throughout their lives. Children who do not receive this sort of support and interaction are likely to have a much different attitude about learning later on in life. Hence why the supportive practitioner, and the environment they provide, need to nurture these CoELs without forgetting that children are individuals who bring their own needs, talents and histories to the learning environment.
Each half-term, we introduce a new theme to provide inspiration for learning, whilst providing the flexibility for children to follow their own interests and ideas. Children learn through a balance of child-initiated and adult-directed activities.
The timetable is carefully structured so that children have some sessions of direct teaching during the day, depending on their age and stage of development and taking into account any additional needs. The timetable changes throughout the year to take into consideration the changing needs of the children. The direct teaching sessions are sometimes followed up by small, focused group work. This allows adults to systematically check for understanding, identify and respond to misconceptions quickly and provide real-time verbal feedback which results in a strong impact on the acquisition of new learning. Our curriculum is planned for the inside and outside areas and equal importance is given to learning in both areas.
We know that Children learn best through play. When children are deeply engaged their brains are developing, new synapses are forming, and they are making progress.
‘Engaged’ means level five on the Laevers involvement scale. The child shows continuous and intense activity, revealing the greatest involvement. The signals for involvement are present, which are, concentration, creativity, energy, and persistence. The children’s level of engagement is measured carefully and regularly using this scale and our provision and curriculum are carefully planned to enable our children to reach their maximum level of engagement.
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” ~ William Butler Yeats
Each area of learning and development is implemented through planned, purposeful play, and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activities. Staff respond to each child’s emerging needs and interests, guiding their development through warm, positive interaction.
If children feel safe, they can take risks, ask questions, make mistakes, learn to trust, share their feelings, and grow.” ~ Alfie Kohn
We want to ensure that our children have the best possible outcomes, life chances and fulfilled well-being in their future as young children and as adults. Our children will leave our preschool equipped to start the next stage of their Early Years journey feeling confident, empowered and secure in their abilities.
They will feel respected as an individual and resilient to life’s challenges to enable them to reach their full potential by being ‘Primary school ready’, regardless of where their starting points were.
“Excellence in education is when we do everything that we can to make sure they become everything that they can.” ~ Carol Ann Tomlinson
Copyright © 2024 Roborough Preschool | Ofsted Number 106204 | Registered charity number 1022385
