Argyll and Bute Council
Community Services
Early Years Service
EARLY LEVEL
May 2012
Argyll and Bute Council
Community Services: Education
Early Level
This paper builds on existing effective practice and principles already
embedded in Argyll and Bute Council documentation to focus on the ways in
which sound early years‘ practice can be delivered in:
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an Early Years setting which incorporates both Nursery and
Primary 1 aged children.
an Early Level class of P1 children
a setting which may contain children from the Early Level
(including Nursery and Primary 1) and the First Level.
The vision for Early Years Service in Argyll and Bute Council (2009) states
that:
“We want every child to have access to the best possible learning and
healthcare services that meet their individual needs and which promote
resilience and wellbeing. We are committed to creating a system and climate
whereby every child can fulfil their potential as a successful learner, confident
individual, effective contributor and responsible citizen.”
The strategic priorities identified in the vision paper include:
QUALITY
ENGAGEMENT
PREVENTION
This proposal seeks to set out the potential benefits for young children’s
wellbeing, sense of belonging and continuity in teaching and learning
approaches all of which have the potential to lead to greater skill development
and fostering the dispositions to learning which are so crucial at this stage of a
young child’s life.
It takes into account and builds on:
 Current existing good practice in both Early Years establishments and
in planning for composite and multi – composite classes within Argyll
and Bute Council
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The establishment of an early years setting (Nursery – P3) in Luing
Primary and the very positive feedback it has received from external
stakeholders
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The Active Learning Play Pilot (2008) and related paper CfE; A Guide
to Active Learning in the Early Years.
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The flexibility afforded by Curriculum for Excellence
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“The framework should not create artificial ceilings which might limit
expectations of what children can achieve.” CfE Progress and
proposals, Scottish Executive (2006).
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The underpinning principles of the Early Level of CfE
“There is a need for re-examination of the challenges and innovative
approaches required to ensure that every child has meaningful and
progressive learning experiences across the sectors and within the
early level.” Curriculum for Excellence: pre – school into primary
transitions LTS (2010).
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A Framework for Developing Skills in Argyll & Bute Schools ( 3 – 18)
This paper aims to address the following questions:
1. What are the needs of a young child? (3 – 8 years)
2. What benefits could there be in creating a setting for learning which
delivers a developmentally appropriate curriculum for all children within
and across levels?
3. How do we develop this type of learning community?
4. What are the core skills which provide the foundations of learning in
CfE which may also assist in forming the design principles of the
curriculum in an early years’ setting?
1. What are my needs and rights as a young child? (3 – 8 years)
Children face many important changes in the first eight years of life,
including different learning centres, social groups, roles and expectations.
Their ability to adapt to such a dynamic and evolving environment directly
affects their sense of identity and status within their community over the
short and long term.
Early childhood transitions research: A review of concepts, theory and
practice (2008) in Working Papers in Early Childhood Development
Vogler, V, Crivello, G and Woodhead, M
My needs and rights include:
 To feel confident, secure, safe, happy and make my learning fun.
 To understand that play is my work
 To provide me with emotional support and help me develop my own
resilience.
 To offer me challenges in a supportive environment. Don’t cause me to
fail, but allow me the time and support to experiment and achieve.
 To enable me to take risks in a supportive environment with staff who
will help me to look after myself.
 To provide me with high quality experiences and the building blocks for
the foundation of my future learning.
 To recognise my prior learning, watch and record how I learn before
you plan my next steps in learning with me. Let me be part of the
learning process.
 To recognise my progress and achievements and provide me with
feedback which can take my learning forward and help me achieve.
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To allow me to have an influence and voice over the things that matter
to me in my life.
To recognise that I am unique and you can learn from me.
2. What benefits could there be in creating a setting for learning which
delivers a developmentally appropriate curriculum for all children
within and across levels?
Children will benefit from an early years’ setting where they can take a
greater lead in their learning – deciding and making choices.
Children will benefit from an early years’ setting which is an extended
learning community with greater opportunities for learning and
development.
Children will benefit from an early years’ setting where they can achieve
deeper and more secure learning from having opportunities to revisit
and build on quality play experiences. With limitless opportunities to
progress, attain and achieve and with no artificial barriers, the early
years’ setting can offer real continuity and real progression.
Children will benefit from an early years’ setting where they can continue
to developing self - management and organisational skills which will
lead to increased independence.
Children will benefit from an early years’ setting which recognises the
potential of outdoor learning as central to the children’s experiences in
the wider environment.
Children will benefit from an early years’ setting which takes into account
children’s physical development needs, the freedom they need to
move about and explore their different learning styles as they grow.
Children will benefit from an early years’ setting which meets the needs of
each child by considering the stage of development they have reached
rather than their age.
Children will benefit from an early years’ setting whose environment has
been carefully planned to promote and enhance their social and
emotional development. They will also benefit in learning about
learning as part of an extended community.
Social and emotional development
in an early years’ setting
 Personalities able to grow and
develop
 Acceptance of each other’s
developmental stage
 Tolerance
 Empathy
 Nurturing and caring for others
 Appreciation of each other’s
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Children as learners in an
extended community
 Different age groups working
together
 Peer scaffolding
 Appreciation of different ways
to communicate.
 Modelling learning behaviours
 Observing others
 ‘Seeing ‘ where learning goes
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needs and strengths.
Responsibility
Self – confidence, knowing
limitations and knowing when /
why and who to ask for help
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and what can be done with
and through it
Developing dispositions to
learning and positive attitudes
about learning
Building a community of
learners to which young
children can contribute and be
valued for who they are and
what they bring.
3. How do we develop this type of learning community?
“When children start school, they enter an educational environment that is
quite different from other environments they have experienced. Quite
quickly, they are expected to adapt to the changing demands of school,
both in terms of curriculum and the nature of the environment.”
Dockett and Perry cited in Dunlop and Fabian (2007:102)
This type of learning community has an ethos which puts the development
of a healthy, thinking child at its heart. It therefore requires a shared
understanding of the vision for effective early years learning which values
the contributions made by all partners in learning, including the wider
community. Respect and recognition of the complementary roles which
key people play in a child’s life and how they can influence future learning
and attitudes will be instrumental in forming a strong team.
In addition, staff, parents and carers need to be recognised as learners. It
is in appreciating how we learn and what has influenced us in our own
lifelong learning that we can gain further insight into the many needs of
this crucial stage of a child’s development.
The framework starts from a series of vision statements that articulate
what the best start in life looks like for children. Many of these reflect the
rights of children enshrined in the UNCRC.
Early Years Framework, Scottish Government (2008)
4. What are the core skills which provide the foundations of learning in
CfE which may also assist in forming the design principles of the
curriculum in an early years’ setting?
‘The curriculum is more than curriculum areas and subjects: it is the
totality of experiences which are planned for children and young people
through their education – a canvas upon which their learning experiences
are formed’. CfE Progress and Proposals, Scottish Executive (2006).
The following table builds on A Framework for Developing Skills in Argyll
& Bute Schools (3 – 18). It aims to adapt and set the skills development in
an appropriate context for young children’s learning.
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COMMUNICATOR
Developing vocabulary
Expressing ideas in different ways
Starting from ‘ me ‘ my interests and feelings
Thinking about others around me
Talking with others about my actions
‘ Play – based ‘ mark – makingunderstanding about audience and purpose
for my writing
QUESTIONER
Asking questions
Responding to questions
Developing skill in moving on from ‘pointing’
questions i.e. What’s that? to How do you..?
Watching how others frame questions and
model more open ended questions
Making sense of learning – what it can do for
me / others
Building up a picture of what I can do
Talking about If… then situations
Seeing learning as all encompassing (not
compartmentalised
Exploring different learning styles in different
contexts.
CONNECTOR
CONTRIBUTOR
How do I join in?
How can I help?
In what way am I part of a community?
Sense of belonging / valued / respected
Me – my environment – my community
Moving from solitary to parallel to cooperative
to collaborative play
DECIDER
Making choices
Knowing what choices I could make ) task /
activity order / time on activity / refining /
returning for further play / devt
Following the decisions of others / they follow
my lead.
ACTIVE LEARNER
Active engagement in learning
Experiencing, trying out, refining
Increased concentration
Application to a range of contexts
Perseverance
Growing in confidence in what skills and
knowledge I can offer to others.
Developing intrinsic motivation for activities.
Reflecting on and recording my experiences.
ORIGINATOR
Designing, creating, discovering, imagining
Moving from taking the ideas of others to
having my own ideas
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PROBLEM SOLVER
Willing to try
No one way to solve a problem
Identifying what the problem is and what
might be involved.
Investigating different strategies including my
own.
Talking about what worked / why/ what they
would do again.
Developing the confidence to ‘ have a go’.
Developing problem solving skills and
capabilities.
Making it happen: Organisation of Space
“Young children learn best when they have scope for active involvement in a
wide range of learning experiences. The learning environment – both indoors
and outdoors – needs to provide challenge and opportunity to explore exciting
learning possibilities. All early years settings need to provide flexible and
stimulating environments to fully engage children in their learning. At all
stages this requires activities, space and resources to be well planned and
organised.” Building the Curriculum 2 (2007)
Considering the use of Space
Key Considerations
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Should be a dynamic space for learning which is flexible
Allows children to be independent
Should allow children to be involved in planning the space for learning
Should include outdoors as a key feature of the learning environment
Clearly defined areas which encourage the following opportunities/
activities:
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An area which allows opportunities for conversation, friendships and
social activities
An area which stimulates the senses and has opportunities for
sensory exploration
Space for children to be involved in small scale and large scale
construction- encouraging problem solving, testing out theories, and
opportunities for children to apply previous learning in a real context.
All areas should lend themselves and allow opportunities for children to
experience imaginary and dramatic play
Selection and Organisation of Resources:
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Select resources that provide breadth, progression and differentiation
across levels and include quality, open ended imaginative materials.
Value people within the wider learning community as a key resource.
Involve children in the care of and management of clearly labeled,
organised resources,
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Consider display as an interactive resource ensuring that children have
ownership of their learning and achievements and are able to share
this with other stakeholders.
Making it happen: Organisation of Time
Children have a natural disposition to wonder, to be curious, to pose
questions, to experiment, to suggest, to invent and to explain. Staff have an
essential role in extending and developing this.
Building the Curriculum 2 (2007).
To do all of the above children need time to play, practice and develop their
skills in a range of contexts. Our creative use of time in organising for learning
will involve:
1. TIME FOR DIALOGUE
 Key and planned times for professional dialogue
 Skilful and meaningful dialogue with children, parents / carers
 Time to build relationships
 Time to discuss, experiment and implement new ways of
working.
 Planning for stages of development
 Time for staff to monitor progress and observe children in their
learning.
2. TIME FOR DEPTH OF LEARNING
 Planning quality experiences for and with the children
 Modelling how to play and talk about the fun of learning
 Taking learning outdoors
 Interacting with other children and staff in a variety of groupings
 Sharing learning with each other.
 Engaging children’s curiosity and prompt enquiry
 Enabling children to revisit areas of learning
 Valuing the time needed to consolidate learning through play.
3. CHILDREN MANAGING THEIR OWN TIME
 Making and following through choices
 Selecting their own resources to support them in their play.
 Time for children to decide what they need or want to do next
4. TIME FOR REFLECTION
 Time for staff and children to think
 Time for staff and children to refine their plans
Making it happen: Learning and Working Together
To support their different development stages throughout the Early Level,
children need:
 Practitioners and environments (indoors and outdoors) that support
and challenge their widening interests and encourage them to develop
their thinking
 Practitioners who observe, asses and plan carefully for their
developmental needs
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Practitioners who encourage and extend conversations
Practitioners who provide good role models
Opportunities that support their development as independent, confident
learners
 Opportunities to work collaboratively
 Opportunities to follow routines and unfamiliar activities, as well as
opportunities to be involved in new and challenging tasks
 Opportunities to be creative through access to a variety of media that
allows them to express themselves and apply their imagination in a
purposeful way
 Opportunities to work cooperatively with their peers and to have time to
sustain their interest in activities
 Opportunities to keep pace and challenge their physical coordination.
(Foundation Phase Child Development Profile Guidance Welsh Assembly
Governments).
In making it happen the role of staff working together as a team will be
fundamental to success. Staff will bring a variety of background experience
and expertise to the early years’ setting.
The complimentary roles of staff within an early years setting should begin
with:
 the shared vision of what children need and want to achieve
 the knowledge of the developmental stages children will progress
through
 how the learning and environment will be organised and managed
 the flexibility staff will need in being responsive to this age group
 the mutual respect of all within this learning community.
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