Building the Ambition Toolkit
Section 6 – A Focus on the Environment
Glasgow City Council – Leaders of Early Learning
August 2015
This toolkit is designed to help staff evaluate and discuss their provision using Building the Ambition. The statements are copied directly from Section 6 and have a space
alongside them to write notes. Staff should use these discussions to record and plan for improvement in their setting. This resource should be used alongside Child at the
Centre 2/HGIOELCC, rather than being a replacement.
Building the Ambition
6.3.1 A focus on babies – What do they need?
An environment which:
Is safe, clean, comforting and predictable.
Is emotionally welcoming, secure and respectful.
Is home-like, with areas which the baby can recognise and relate to – photos
of the baby’s family and mirrors to see themselves.
Is arranged well for the baby to be beside other babies comfortably or sit up
well supported to see all around.
Offers a personalised space with preferred toys and favourite things to
cuddle.
Allows opportunities for play inside and for outdoor experiences.
Is a calm and comfortable place where the baby and adult can be together,
talking and sharing experiences.
Offers opportunities for the baby to touch, hear, see and look at new things.
Provides time and space to explore what catches the baby’s attention.
Gives space for the baby to move freely to explore different experiences
without too much furniture to hinder movement.
Comments/Action needed
Building the Ambition
6.4.1 A focus on toddlers – What do they need?
An environment which:
Gives a place for personally important items from home.
Has a thoughtful arrangement of space and furniture to allow the child some
control over what they do and how they play.
Has resources arranged so that they can see and make choices for themselves.
Has a flexible arrangement in terms of times and space to allow some control
over quiet and active times.
Is a place to share what is important; a space to be comfortably together with
others; and, an inviting space to be quiet and alone.
Gives regular access to the outdoors to encourage the growing understanding
of the world around them.
Provides natural resources which help to stimulate all of the senses.
Provides time to talk in a supportive, unhurried way with a key adult.
Provides resources for pretend play, allows exploration of paint, sand and
water. Objects to take apart and build together, interesting items to touch and
examine.
Comments/Action needed
Building the Ambition
6.5.1 A focus on the young child – What do they need?
An environment which:
Comments/Action needed
Gives a balance of being in and out of doors so that children are confident
in different environments.
Encourages children’s own sense of self by using their names, both oral
and written, and those of friends and family frequently.
Organises resources which enable children to make choices, and share in
others choices. Resources which are clearly labelled and where children
know to find and replace them.
Has comfortable places to relax, be quiet and be with friends.
Has plenty for the young child to talk about, imagining and creating,
reasoning and testing out, sharing and negotiating, talking about the past,
present and the future.
Reflects the world of print, literacy and numeracy and the increasing use
of technologies to support learning.
Gives time to persevere with inquiry learning and time to start a project
and continue it over several days.
Find out more: About developmental progress: “From Birth to Five Years: Children’s Developmental Progress” fourth edition – Ajay Sharma and Helen Cockerill.
Building the Ambition
6. A focus on the Environment
Targets from Improvement
Babies
Toddlers
Young Child
Key Staff
Timescale