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Teaching and Learning

Our Curriculum

Our Curriculum has been designed so children can access learning which is age appropriate yet challenging, engaging and inclusive. Children will learn and play through topic based activities, whilst following seasons, festivals and other calendar celebrations. 
Our termly curriculum plan is on our parent board so you can always access your child's learning!

Our Curriculum is connected to Development Matters, which offers guidance on the pathways of children’s development in broad ages and stages . This document spans from birth to age 5 years, through their Early Years. This is a key time in your little one's development, as they are growing and developing at a fast pace. Development Matters covers a range of areas of learning and development, from reading to maths, and beyond. It also offers general guidance for supporting effective learning and assessment, too. There is an Early Learning Goal for each of the seven Areas of Learning outlined in Development Matters.
These areas are: 

  • Communication and Language Development (CLD)  

  • Physical Development (PD)  

  • Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)  

  • Literacy (L) 

  • Mathematics (M)  

  • Understanding the World (UtW)  

  • Expressive Arts and Design (EAD) 

 

 

Development Matters also covers these 5 areas in which children develop skills: 

  • Cognitive: This is primarily concerned with children's problem-solving skills. It can mean anywhere from placing square-shaped blocks into square-shaped slots in a physical problem. Or using their mental skills to completing simple puzzles. 

  • Social and Emotional: This is the test of children's interactions with other people. It includes how they conduct themselves and begin to recognise that their actions may influence others. They learn to manage and express how they feel, as well as building on relationships and bonds with others. 

  • Speech and Language: A child's ability to both recognise and interpret language that they hear from others. Plus, how they begin to use it to communicate themselves. This primarily concerns spoken language but also, to an extent, read and written. 

  • Fine Motor Skills: Testing children's ability to interact with objects and use them appropriately. This might include using a pencil, eating with cutlery or following a path with a toy car. 

  • Gross Motor Skills: This concerns children's ability to perform basic physical tasks. By reception level, this concerns tasks from going from walking to running or performing sports. Plus, their skill level when removing a chair, sitting upon it and pulling the chair in behind themselves. 

 

At Bee's Knees, we aim to foster imagination, creativity and individuality. Education begins the moment we see children as wise and capable beings; only then can we play along in their world.  

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Power Of Play

Our timetables are designed to enhance the relationship of learning and playing. Our staff follow our topic led curriculum and will specifically use the 'focus activities' to guide children through a theme or topic, which is age appropriate and provides challenge. However, at Bee's Knees Nursery we recognise that play is one of the most important ways in which young children gain essential knowledge and skills. For this reason we offer opportunities and environments that promote independent play, exploration and hands-on learning. 

Play improves the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and young people. Through play, children learn about the world and themselves. They also develop skills they need for learning and relationships such as: confidence, focus, self-esteem, resilience, interaction, social skills, independence, curiosity, coping with challenging situations, learning how to express themselves. 

 

We are very lucky to have Moo Music visit us once a week. Moo Music is a great fun and interactive music session, where the children sing, dance and play. Music is an essential part of every child’s development and the 125 original Moo Music songs used at the sessions are positive, uplifting, fun and educational. The interactive sessions will help children gain confidence and develop memory, language and coordination skills in an exciting, enjoyable and multi-sensory way. All of their lessons are preplanned and connected to development matters. 

 

 


 

At Bee's Knees, we offer children two opportunities to be outside (if here for a full day). These sessions are for around an hour and if the weather permits, we will try to be outside for longer. Outdoor learning and play acts as an integral part of a child's development opportunities and can massively benefit children's mental and physical health and wellbeing. Being in our outdoor provision encourages physical fitness but providing space to: run, jump, skip, climb and to develop gross motor skills. We also find being outside, brings a calmer indoor space and allows children to regulate their feelings and emotions by being close to nature, in the fresh air.  

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