Welcome to Silloth Primary’s Early Years
In our Early Years setting at Silloth Primary, we value the importance of learning
through play and use this as the centre of our curriculum to ensure children come first!
Through our approach to a rich play-based curriculum that is responsive to children’s
interests and needs, alongside the high level interactions with adults, we believe
children receive quality fun-filled experiences that prepares them to be ‘school ready’
and embed a positive attitude towards learning.
We offer experiences that allow children to learn through and practice the
characteristics of learning which are:Playing and Exploring- children investigate and experience things and ‘have a
go’;
Active Learning- children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter
difficulties, and enjoy achievements;
Creating and thinking critically- children have and develop their own ideas,
make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.
The Early Years curriculum consists of seven areas of learning. They are split in to
prime and specific areas.
The Prime Areas
The specific Areas
Communication and Language
Literacy
Physical Development
Maths
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts and Design
These seven areas of learning are embedded through our provision, planning and
assessment. Children progress through the age bands of each area aiming to meet
the Early Learning Goals at the end of Reception.
Our Early Year’s Principles
At Silloth Primary School our Early Years is different and we celebrate that.
The experiences we provide are unique because our children are unique.
In our setting you will see:
1. No limits to learning areas so that children can make good links in their
learning and transfer skills (inside & outside)
2. Staff being fascinated by what the children say; going with the children’s
interests/responses. We go off plan with confidence and pride because
when children are interested in something, that’s when the best learning will
happen.
3. Whole class teaching will be used to ignite and excite the children and will
be limited to 5/10 minutes at a time because children don’t all tune into
something at the same time and the bigger the group the less engaged they
become! (The Brain @ School: John Geake 2008).
4. No worksheets. Our Learning Journeys will not demonstrate the high
quality learning taking place but our rigorous observations will; this is why
you will see staff often sitting back, observing, waiting to be invited into the
learning.
5. Maths and literacy intrinsic to all areas of learning because we believe
firmly in the basic skills.
6. Lots of consolidation of previous knowledge, skills and understanding
because that’s what building blocks are made of.
7. Learning will continue, even if it’s noisy and the area is messy because
noise and mess is learning in action!
A recent update
In the last year, we have worked directly with a Consultant from Early Excellence
to develop our continuous provision, our outdoor learning and strengthen the adult
interactions needed for teaching and learning.
We can proudly say that our provision is of a high quality and allows children to
express their own interests and needs and to learn in their own way and pace.
We no longer plan and follow topics and themes for the year, as we believe in
observations of the children to plan from their needs and interests. Assessment in
the forms of observations of and interactions with children are ongoing and
constantly informs planning to meet next steps. Our approach to the curriculum is
responsive, creative and exciting!
Please browse the following photographs to see some of the exciting experiences
we offer!
Indoor Learning!
Continuous Provision
Wet Sand
Dough
Water play
Mark-making, Maths,
Creativity & Language
Mark-making, Maths,
Creativity & Language
Maths, Science, Creativity &
Language
Small World
Creativity, Language, &
Understanding the World
Writing
Mark-making, Literacy,
Maths, Creativity & Physical
Construction
Maths, Physical, Creativity,
Language & Understanding
the World
I.C.T
Domestic Role-play
Being imaginative, Language &
PSE
Painting
Technology, Maths, Literacy,
PSE & Physical
Mark-making, Creativity,
Physical & Language
The Reception class offers these additional
areas of provision in the spacious room.
Maths- Number, Calculation &
Shape, Space & Measure
A large space for small world
and construction play
Dry Sand- Maths, Science,
Creativity & Language.
Fine Motor area to practice
those finger muscles!
Outdoor Learning!
Investigating Water
Developing
muscles for
writing
Finding out how things work
Using one handed tools
Problem Solving
Using water to help plants grow
Building and Construction
Helping Others
Working Together
Making obstacles and practicing physical skills
Having ideas, planning, adapting and changing
Role-play & Story Telling
Being Imaginative
Den and Camping
Making Dens
Team Work and finding out how things work
Role-play and Being imaginative
Having real life experiences!