Comforts Childcare Ltd
Helping Children Learn new skills
Our Curriculum,
We Love To Learn Through Play
Working with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) we strive to make our learning environments stimulating and exciting for the children. The EYFS sets standards for the learning, development and care of all children from birth to 5 years old. Every child deserves the best possible start in life and at Comforts Childcare Ltd we aim to provide care, stimulation, support and fun to fulfil their potential.
A child’s experience in the early years has a major impact on their life chances and along with a secure, safe and happy childhood we can work together to build on foundations to provide confident and talented futures.
Prime Areas of Development?
These prime areas are fundamental, work together and help support learning and development in all other areas. These skills begin to develop quickly in response to relationships and experiences.
Personal, Social And Emotional Development
Helps children to develop a positive sense of themselves, and others; to form positive relationships and develop respect for others; to develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings; to understand appropriate behaviour in groups and to have confidence in their own abilities.
At Comforts Childcare Ltd our staff are aware of the importance of attachment in relationships. All staff support children to develop confidence, autonomy and self-respect. Children are encouraged to take responsibility for themselves and are given time to pursue their learning without interruption. Through activities, non verbal communication and spoken language children learn acceptable ways to express their own feelings and to have respect for the feelings of others. The learning environment and the structure of the day provides consistency, ensuring that the children are safe and secure.
Physical Development
Provides opportunities for young children to be active and interactive; and to develop their co-ordination, control and movement. Children must be helped to understand the importance of physical activity and to make healthy choices in relation to food.
At Comforts Childcare Ltd we encourage children to be active and help them develop fine and gross movement skills through providing play resources including small world toys; construction; threading and posting, malleable and cooking activities. Snack and mealtimes provide the opportunity to promote children’s understanding of hygiene and healthy eating and allows them to pour their own drinks, serve and cut their own food. The garden area offers children the space and time to be outdoors with the freedom to explore and be physically active in a variety of ways using a range of equipment and where we need to further stimulate then trips to the local park or beach are organised.
Communication And Language Development
Gives children opportunities to experience a rich language environment; to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves and to speak and listen in a range of situations.
At Comforts Childcare Ltd children are provided with opportunities to share and enjoy a wide range of fiction and non fiction books, rhymes, music songs and stories from all cultures. Puppets and other props are used to encourage listening and responding when singing a familiar song or reading a story from a story book. Daily group times provide regular periods when individuals listen to others, sharing an experience or describing something they have done. Staff are asking open ended questions to encourage language and providing lots of opportunities to speak. We use Makaton signs to help with communication, starting in the baby room. All staff are Makaton-trained.
Specific Areas of Development?
The specific areas include essential skills and knowledge for children to participate successfully in society.
Literacy
Encourages children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading materials to ignite their interest.
At Comforts Childcare Ltd the environment is rich in print providing children with the opportunity to learn about words and language. Staff provide activities for children to experiment making marks, write for a purpose and begin to use conventional script. Opportunities for literacy are offered in both the indoor and outdoor learning environment through a variety of activities.
Mathematics
Provides children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems and to describe shapes, spaces and measure.
At Comforts Childcare Ltd we support children by ensuring that a range of mathematical resources are readily available both indoors and outdoors. Daily opportunities are provided to investigate number, shape, space and measures through every day routines, sand and water and songs and stories. Children are encouraged to problem solve in their play and are provided with activities to develop mathematical concepts and vocabulary. Collections of natural resources are readily available for children to sort, order, count and label in their play.
Understanding the World
Guides children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.
At Comforts Childcare Ltd the learning environment, indoors and outdoors, includes a wide range of resources, books and activities to stimulate children’s interest and curiosity and help to develop their enquiring minds. The outdoor environment is used to allow children to become familiar with the natural world and changing seasons. Staff support children in using a range of ICT equipment and incorporating technology resources that children recognise into their play.
Expressive Arts and Design
Enables children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role play and design technology.
At Comforts Childcare Ltd we value a child’s own ideas and support them in expressing and communicating their thoughts. A wide range of materials, resources and sensory experiences are provided to enable children to explore colour, texture and space. Opportunities to develop imaginative play are provided indoors and outdoors and support the different interests of children. Songs, rhymes and music are experienced daily through play and planned group times. The use of CD’s, ribbon sticks and musical instruments encourage children to respond spontaneously to different types of music.
Characteristics Of Effective Learning
This is how each unique child plays and this can form an important part of how we plan our environment.
How Do We Plan At Comforts Childcare Ltd?
Planning is ‘In the moment’ based on Anna Ephgrave. Play is the natural means by which children make sense of the world around them, build confidence and social interactions and develop their own style of imagination and creativity. Staff are able to play with and alongside the children and to identify learning in their play, encourage language and communication skills and to give the children the confidence to ask questions, be curious, to try out ideas and to build on their existing knowledge and understanding. The way in which we plan our environment indoors and outdoors will have a big impact on the children’s learning and interests. Teaching is in every activity we provide to the children, there are no activities that occur in the nursery which we do not consider to be opportunities for teaching.
Babies and young children are experiencing and learning in the here and now, not storing up their questions until tomorrow or next week. It is in ‘that moment’ of curiosity, puzzlement, effort or interest – the ‘Teachable Moment’ which the skilful adult makes a difference. When children show high levels of involvement, that is when there is progress and development occurs – when their brain is most active. High level involvement occurs most often when children pursue their own interests in an enabling environment supported by skilful staff.
Comforts Childcare Ltd follow the planning cycle:
plan, do, review
We assess the children’s progress every term to ensure they are developing in all areas of learning then we make next steps with the parents to develop them further in their assessment. Every children has a learning journal folder from the day they start and this is a diary of their progress and achievements. This includes: parent’s observations and starting points, photographs, paintings, drawings, staff observations and reports on your child. We value parent input and contributions because no one knows your child better than you do!