Parents/Carers

 

Parents/Carers are regarded as members of our setting who have full participatory rights. These include a right to be:

•   Valued and respected;

•   Kept informed;

•   Consulted;

•   Involved; and  included at all levels.

 

We aim to ensure that each child:

• Is in a safe and stimulating environment.

• Is given generous care and attention, because of our ratio of qualified staff to children, as well as volunteer parent/carers     helpers.

• Has the chance to join with other children and adults to live, play, work and learn together.

• Is helped to take forward her/his learning and development by being helped to build on what she/he already knows and can  do. Has a personal key person who makes sure each child makes satisfying progress.

     

The provision for children's development and learning is guided by Early Years Foundation Stage EYFS (DfE 2012). Our provision reflects the four guiding themes and principles of the EYFS.

 

A Unique Child

Every child is a unique child who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.

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Positive Relationships

Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships.

 

Enabling Environments

Children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners, parents and carers.

 

Learning and Development

Children develop and learn in different ways. The framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision including children with special educational needs and disabilities.

 

Gants Hill Playgroup endeavours to nurture the children’s deep desire to learn, to experiment, to socialise and to gain independence. The curriculum we follow is The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) which is designed to cover 7 areas of learning. It consists of 3 prime areas which are: Personal, Social & Emotional Development, Communication & Language and Physical Development. It is seen that these 3 areas are the most important areas from birth and build the roots for the rest of a child’s learning. There are also 4 specific areas which are: Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design.

 

These 4 specific areas strengthen the prime areas and help us to apply the prime areas within a playgroup setting. All these 7 areas are inter-connected and most of our activities within the playgroup cover more than one area at one time. The wide and varied range of activities we offer provides the children with not only a basic grounding in numbers and letters, but a wealth of learning experiences, allowing them to progress to their next stage of education with a sense of achievement and confidence.

 

 All of our activities are designed to cover more than just one area of the curriculum at any one time and ensure that every child gets a chance to achieve in every area.

All activities are planned to follow children’s interests as by doing so we have found children to want to be more involved in their learning and achieve their potential.

 

Emphasis is placed on the development of every child’s self-esteem and independence, and they are strongly encouraged to be kind and caring to one another in a positive and nurturing environment. Children work and play together in a happy, relaxed and positive atmosphere in which encouragement is abundant and the surroundings are colourful, attractive and adaptable.

 

The experiences provided for each child are stimulating, challenging, absorbing and satisfying, allowing for every aspect of development and progression through the different stages of the pre-school years. The children are taught by dedicated, enthusiastic and well qualified staff in 2 spacious and well equipped church halls and an outdoor area.