Lydlynch Pre-School Curriculum
The team at Lydlynch Pre-School have been developing our new approach to the curriculum this term. We wanted to make this brief and accessible for parents, children and staff alike. At Lydlynch Pre-School we aim for the children to settle and feel safe at the setting, teaching them life skills by learning through play and getting them ready for ‘big’ school. Here's our 10 point curriculum.
This is a working curriculum and is not a step-by-step checklist. Every child is an individual and unique in their own way. All children learn at different ages and stages and environmental and global issues can impact on this, such as where they live, family circumstances and for example the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, it is essential that the team at Lydlynch Pre-School are able to adapt and change each stage of our curriculum for every child and the different cohorts that join our setting.
So, how will we do this? Below is a more in-depth description of what the team aim to achieve with your child/ren as they start their early years journey at Lydlynch Pre-School.
- Be able to separate from main carer then build new friendships with the team and the other children.
- Become a confident learner that understands the rules and boundaries of the pre-school.
- Be confident to explore the areas of the pre-school independently and use their imagination whilst role playing and experimenting in the different areas of the pre-school.
- Be self-assured when accessing the climbing areas and bikes, by being able to take and manage risks using their gross motor skills whilst travelling around the pre-school.
- Enjoy accessing a variety of literacy resources such as books and nursery rhymes, building on their language and vocabulary skills.
- Be confident using their fine motor skills to hold and use instruments such as a pen / paintbrush and to make marks.
- Be able to independently put on their coat and dress themselves.
- To be confident to hold and use cutlery when preparing and eating food whilst also being independent to manage when opening items in their lunch box.
- Be able to recognise their own name and some letters of the alphabet.
- Be able to count past five and recognise numbers in their environment
This is a working curriculum and is not a step-by-step checklist. Every child is an individual and unique in their own way. All children learn at different ages and stages and environmental and global issues can impact on this, such as where they live, family circumstances and for example the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, it is essential that the team at Lydlynch Pre-School are able to adapt and change each stage of our curriculum for every child and the different cohorts that join our setting.
So, how will we do this? Below is a more in-depth description of what the team aim to achieve with your child/ren as they start their early years journey at Lydlynch Pre-School.
Be able to separate from their main carer then build new friendships with the team and the other children.
The journey starts before the child’s first day at pre-school. Families will receive a home visit from a member of the management team and one of their child’s keyworkers. This is an opportunity for the parents to ask questions and for the child to have a chance to play with their keyworker in a place that is safe and secure for them. Let’s face it, the team are strangers at this point, and the child has no idea who they are, therefore it is nice for them to meet somewhere that is consistent with the child and where they feel safe and secure. The home visit is a great way for the keyworker to learn all about the family and what the child likes and interests are.
Following the home visit the family are offered two settle sessions. The family are invited to visit the setting during a session that the child will be attending when they start. We choose to do this so that the child can get used to the other children who will be at the pre-school on the same session as them, hopefully on their first day they recognise familiar faces. During this session the parent stays with the child so that the child has a secure base that they can go to if they become unsure and need support. These sessions are not limited to two, if the parent feels that they need more then we will do all that we can to offer this.
On the child’s first day we understand that they may struggle to separate from their parents / carers so the child’s keyworkers are on hand to help with the initial separation and parents are welcome to come and stay whilst the child settles. We keep an open communication between the parent and the team to reassure families that their child is happy and settled and will make arrangements if this does not happen.
We would like the children to feel comfortable and happy coming into pre-school, and happy to converse with the adults, being confident to ask them for help if they need it.
Following the home visit the family are offered two settle sessions. The family are invited to visit the setting during a session that the child will be attending when they start. We choose to do this so that the child can get used to the other children who will be at the pre-school on the same session as them, hopefully on their first day they recognise familiar faces. During this session the parent stays with the child so that the child has a secure base that they can go to if they become unsure and need support. These sessions are not limited to two, if the parent feels that they need more then we will do all that we can to offer this.
On the child’s first day we understand that they may struggle to separate from their parents / carers so the child’s keyworkers are on hand to help with the initial separation and parents are welcome to come and stay whilst the child settles. We keep an open communication between the parent and the team to reassure families that their child is happy and settled and will make arrangements if this does not happen.
We would like the children to feel comfortable and happy coming into pre-school, and happy to converse with the adults, being confident to ask them for help if they need it.
Become a confident learner that understands the rules and boundaries of the pre-school.
The pre-school environment has rules and boundaries that the children are taught to follow to protect everyone from harm whilst ensuring that we are looking after each other and the pre-school resources. The team have themed the pre-school rules around four Julia Donaldson stories that they are familiar with, they can link the rule with the story and supports their literacy development.
Our four main pre-school rules are as follows.
Our four main pre-school rules are as follows.
- We are kind like the main characters in the ‘Snail and the Whale’. We are kind to the toys, our friends and the adults
- Just like the witch in the ‘Room on the broom’ we share our toys like she shares her broom. If one of our friends has something that we would like to play with we ask the adults for a timer
- Just like the Gruffalo and the mouse that walk through the forest in the ‘Gruffalo’ we walk in the pre-school, up the slope and through the garden gate.
- Just like the ladybird in ‘What the Ladybird’ heard we listen at pre-school; we listen to our friends and the adults.
The adults at the pre-school speak with the children every day about the rules that we have and the reasons that they are important. We explain that the rules are for their safety, and we teach them what they can do to resolve a conflict such as when another child has a toy that they would like to play with. As their journey progresses the adults are able to ask the children what the rules are and the reasons for them, they are also able to tell the adults if any of their friends might not be adhering to the rules.
A big part of going to ‘big’ school is being able to work with other children, treating each other with respect and being able to work as part of a team to achieve a task. Teachers also need their classes to be able to sit still and listen to a story, join in with phonics or maths as soon as they start their journey at infant school, therefore at Lydlynch Pre-School we start to introduce these skills from the moment that the children start with us and it is repeated on a daily basis.
We understand that not all children will be able to achieve this initially, therefore we work with each child based on their varying ages and needs using different techniques that are suitable to them as an individual.
A big part of going to ‘big’ school is being able to work with other children, treating each other with respect and being able to work as part of a team to achieve a task. Teachers also need their classes to be able to sit still and listen to a story, join in with phonics or maths as soon as they start their journey at infant school, therefore at Lydlynch Pre-School we start to introduce these skills from the moment that the children start with us and it is repeated on a daily basis.
We understand that not all children will be able to achieve this initially, therefore we work with each child based on their varying ages and needs using different techniques that are suitable to them as an individual.
Be confident to explore the areas of the pre-school independently and use their imagination whilst role playing and experimenting in the different areas of the pre-school
At Lydlynch Pre-School we are very lucky to have a lot of different areas for the children to explore. Our playroom has an always changing role play area which has a kitchen unit and shopping counter. We adjust the area to fit in with the half term topic by adding resources such as a space station, dentists, police station and so on. Our outside area has a playground and garden which offers a mud kitchen, water area, sand area, construction area, a log cabin which houses a variety of resources, quiet area and track that can be used for a variety of reasons.
Children have access to all areas of the outside and inside areas, other than the climbing frame that is in the sensory garden, which requires adult supervision. Throughout the pre-school day the children are encouraged to explore the various areas and use their imaginations to recreate play situations and build upon friendships.
Children have access to all areas of the outside and inside areas, other than the climbing frame that is in the sensory garden, which requires adult supervision. Throughout the pre-school day the children are encouraged to explore the various areas and use their imaginations to recreate play situations and build upon friendships.
Be self-assured when accessing the climbing areas and bikes, by being able to take and manage risks using their gross motor skills whilst travelling around the pre-school.
At Lydlynch Pre-School we are very lucky to have a large outside area with a range of resources that we can use to support the children to develop their gross motor skills. The pre-school has access to an obstacle course, large soft play toys, climbing frame, climbing wall and different types of bikes and scooters that the children can use. In the mud kitchen there are various resources that can support the children’s gross motor skills as they use their imaginations to concoct potions, make cakes and ‘paint’ the walls with water.
During group times we provide a range of activities that the children participate in such as yoga, group exercises, dancing, tummy time and parachute games. These support development of both gross and fine motor skills.
During group times we provide a range of activities that the children participate in such as yoga, group exercises, dancing, tummy time and parachute games. These support development of both gross and fine motor skills.
Enjoy accessing a variety of literacy resources such as books and nursery rhymes building on their language and vocabulary skills
Lydlynch Pre-School is an all-inclusive setting, we welcome all families therefore there is a diverse range of children who attend. We have a wide variety of books available to the children that celebrate different cultures and traditions. We use themed books to support our different topics and the various celebrations throughout the year. They are rotated regularly to provide opportunities to support the children’s curiosity and ensure that they do not get bored by what is available to them.
Some children do not have access to an outside area when they are at home and therefore when they are in the setting, they will spend the majority of their time outside. With this in mind we aim to mirror the activities that are available in the playroom in the outside area. We offer reading opportunities in our ‘Wellness shed’ and in our log cabin which is decorated with an emphasis on language.
During group times we sing a variety of songs and read stories to the children. At Christmas times we endeavour to hold an annual Christmas concert where we teach the children new songs with actions that they then sing during the concert to their families.
The team have all been trained to offer language development programmes such as Early Talk Boost, Language Box, and Nursery Narrative.
Language Box – Language Box is an activity for the younger children. A small group will go to the log cabin to carry out language box. The session starts with a ‘Hello’ song which the children are encouraged to sing. We then go around in a circle introducing who is in attendance for the session, the children who are a bit more confident support the quieter ones by introducing them. The children are then offered the opportunity to select a song from the nursery rhyme bag which is then sung by the group. After the singing has finished the children select a game to play, at the end of the game everyone sings a ‘Goodbye’ song.
Nursery Narrative – The Nursery Narrative is a twenty week programme that concentrates on communication, language, literature and sequencing skills. The programme is carried out in small groups and consists of practical and active sessions led by the adult in a warm and comfortable environment. The children learn about the concepts of who, where, when and what happens next.
Early Talk Boost – This is an eight week programme that is run each term which is designed to enhance children’s language, attention and communication skills as well as boosting the children’s confidence. We select children of all different ages and stages of development to ensure diversity in the group. We will pick more confident children who can help and support those who are less confident, and children with a vast vocabulary to support the children who need to further develop their language skills. Each week the children take home a different story book, which is returned to pre-school the following week. The story is read during each session across the week, and we encourage the children to share it at home with their family. During each session the children also sing a different song each week and carry out various activities that are linked to that week’s story.
Some children do not have access to an outside area when they are at home and therefore when they are in the setting, they will spend the majority of their time outside. With this in mind we aim to mirror the activities that are available in the playroom in the outside area. We offer reading opportunities in our ‘Wellness shed’ and in our log cabin which is decorated with an emphasis on language.
During group times we sing a variety of songs and read stories to the children. At Christmas times we endeavour to hold an annual Christmas concert where we teach the children new songs with actions that they then sing during the concert to their families.
The team have all been trained to offer language development programmes such as Early Talk Boost, Language Box, and Nursery Narrative.
Language Box – Language Box is an activity for the younger children. A small group will go to the log cabin to carry out language box. The session starts with a ‘Hello’ song which the children are encouraged to sing. We then go around in a circle introducing who is in attendance for the session, the children who are a bit more confident support the quieter ones by introducing them. The children are then offered the opportunity to select a song from the nursery rhyme bag which is then sung by the group. After the singing has finished the children select a game to play, at the end of the game everyone sings a ‘Goodbye’ song.
Nursery Narrative – The Nursery Narrative is a twenty week programme that concentrates on communication, language, literature and sequencing skills. The programme is carried out in small groups and consists of practical and active sessions led by the adult in a warm and comfortable environment. The children learn about the concepts of who, where, when and what happens next.
Early Talk Boost – This is an eight week programme that is run each term which is designed to enhance children’s language, attention and communication skills as well as boosting the children’s confidence. We select children of all different ages and stages of development to ensure diversity in the group. We will pick more confident children who can help and support those who are less confident, and children with a vast vocabulary to support the children who need to further develop their language skills. Each week the children take home a different story book, which is returned to pre-school the following week. The story is read during each session across the week, and we encourage the children to share it at home with their family. During each session the children also sing a different song each week and carry out various activities that are linked to that week’s story.
Be confident using their fine motor skills to hold and use instruments such as a pen / paintbrush to make marks.
Children have access to the creation station and are able to access all of the resources. Adults plan and prepare topic based creative activities for the children to access every day, these are different in the morning to the afternoon. They ensure that the activities are adaptable for all children, two year olds, three year olds, children with additional needs, and for children who are at school leaving age.
At Lydlynch Pre-School we have a toothbrushing routine that we follow every day. The children are asked to join the adult and brush their teeth. Each child has their own toothbrush, and they are encouraged to apply the toothpaste to their brush before using their fine motor skills to clean their teeth. Toothbrushing isn’t mandatory and it is at the child’s discretion as to whether they clean their teeth.
At Lydlynch Pre-School we have a toothbrushing routine that we follow every day. The children are asked to join the adult and brush their teeth. Each child has their own toothbrush, and they are encouraged to apply the toothpaste to their brush before using their fine motor skills to clean their teeth. Toothbrushing isn’t mandatory and it is at the child’s discretion as to whether they clean their teeth.
Be able to independently put on their coat and dress themselves
When children start in reception year, they are expected to be able to change for PE and dress themselves. At Lydlynch Pre-School we support the children to be able to access learning opportunities with dress up and give the children positive encouragement when they are getting changed or putting their coat on. We use all opportunities available to us to teach the children ways to dress and put their hats, gloves and scarves on independently.
To be confident to hold and use cutlery to prepare and eat food and being independent when managing opening items in their lunch box.
When children go to infant school the majority of children will be having hot meals therefore the team will support the children to be confident to hold a knife and fork and use cutlery when preparing food. We encourage the children to help us to cut up their snack and we carry out a range of activities that require the preparation of food. We celebrate different holidays and traditions, for example pancake day and Chinese New Year, by introducing the children to the different food and having different tasting sessions using cutlery.
We encourage children to cut their own fruit up at lunch times using child safe knives, this enhances their independence and confidence as well as teaching them how to use the cutlery safely.
We encourage children to cut their own fruit up at lunch times using child safe knives, this enhances their independence and confidence as well as teaching them how to use the cutlery safely.
Be able to recognise their own name and some letters of the alphabet.
When the children arrive at the setting, they are encouraged to wash their hands then find their picture which is linked to their name on the self-registration board. They have to post it into a letter box, these are then used on the snack board. Children are asked to find their names and post it in the box before sitting down for snack. This is done for both morning and afternoon snack sessions, it also helps the adults to see who has had snack and who hasn’t.
In the term before the children go to infant school the picture is removed from their name and replaced with the mascot from their key group. This teaches them to self-register by recognising their name.
Alongside this there are displays in the pre-school environment of the different letters along with words. The children are taught about their names during group time and the adults encourage them to learn the letters to be able to write their name if they want to. We use techniques such as tracing letters and dot to dot to build their fine motor skills and get them used to holding a pen.
In the term before the children go to infant school the picture is removed from their name and replaced with the mascot from their key group. This teaches them to self-register by recognising their name.
Alongside this there are displays in the pre-school environment of the different letters along with words. The children are taught about their names during group time and the adults encourage them to learn the letters to be able to write their name if they want to. We use techniques such as tracing letters and dot to dot to build their fine motor skills and get them used to holding a pen.
Be able to count past five and recognise numbers in their environment.
Adults use mathematics and numbers every day at the pre-school and encourage the children to learn how to count. We speak to the children every day about the date and we encourage the children to count along with the adults.
We listen to the children’s interests and our displays in the setting, which have numbers, are linked to their current interests and we change them if they express a new interest. Practitioners use any opportunity to enhance the children’s mathematical development, such as counting how many sandwiches are left at lunch or how many steps children take as they travel around the setting.
We use a variety of different resources that have mathematical links, the children can request the different games from the cupboard using the picture cards that are on the cupboard door and the team use various activities during small group times to support each child’s number development.
We listen to the children’s interests and our displays in the setting, which have numbers, are linked to their current interests and we change them if they express a new interest. Practitioners use any opportunity to enhance the children’s mathematical development, such as counting how many sandwiches are left at lunch or how many steps children take as they travel around the setting.
We use a variety of different resources that have mathematical links, the children can request the different games from the cupboard using the picture cards that are on the cupboard door and the team use various activities during small group times to support each child’s number development.