Goals of the playgroup

The early years play group provide:-

• A variety of developmentally appropriate large and small motor games and activities.
• a safe, nurturing and stimulating environment 
• Activities for children to develop sensory, language, and early literacy skills.
• A range of activities that teach and encourage teacher-child interactions.

Learning through play
Your child started to learn about the world around them from the moment they were born. The care and learning offered by the playgroup helps your son/daughter to continue to do this by providing them with interesting activities that are appropriate for their age and stage of development.

What to Expect at Playgroup:
Playgroup follows an established routine of activities: Typically, a session may consist of
one or a multiple of the following:

• Child sign in,
• Free indoor play,
• Good morning session,
• Music and movement,
• Fruit snack,
• Story time,
• Art and crafts,
• Conversation and support,
• Gross motor activity,
• Good-bye song,
• Lunch.

We offer a curriculum and experience which begins in Playgroup and finishes at the end of Reception, at which point the children are fully prepared to transition to Junior School. This experience is underpinned by our child-centered, personalised learning approach that supports the development of the whole child.

Our children are supported to take risks, think critically, and develop their understanding by exploring through play. Teachers and Teaching Assistants are seen as partners in the children’s learning journey, ensuring learning is continually placed in a meaningful context by engaging with the children’s interests and ideas. We place great emphasis on positive relationships and interactions amongst all members of our Early Years community as these support our holistic and inclusive approach, ensuring the focus is placed upon the development of the whole child. By working together, we can ensure that all early years children continue to value and enjoy their time here, that they are sufficiently challenged and supported in their learning, and make excellent progress in a happy and caring environment. We pride ourselves on our child-centered and active learning which inspires an environment that supports opportunities for open-ended inquiry.

Our warm and caring environment as well as the provision of opportunities for stimulating play-based learning inspires our students to be curious, inquisitive and develop awe and wonder of the world around them.

Mary Wambui Njoroge
Early Years coordinator

The Crèche is a gentle introduction to everything that Early Years life has to offer in a secure environment where children can learn at their own pace.

Physical Development

Physical Development activities involve climbing, wheeled toys, large apparatus work, ring games, ball games, large construction blocks, and parachute games.

Communication and Language
Language activities: Speaking and listening: taking turns in discussions, following instructions, expansion of vocabulary, listening games, show and tell opportunities and circle time.

Literacy
Developing children’s interest in books. Fine motor control: threading, weaving, tweezer play, pestles and mortars, woodwork, etc. Children will attend weekly Library visits for a story with the Librarian, Mr. Mucheru. Children will have the opportunity to choose a book to share with a peer during the session.

Mathematics
Early mathematics (mainly practical): Matching and sorting, comparing and ordering, sequencing, shape games, number songs and rhymes.

Understanding the World
Construction play: duplo, wooden bricks, lego, mega blocks, stickle bricks: Tactile experiences: clay, playdough, plasticine, wet and dry sand, water, soap, sand, cornflour, colored rice. Information, Communication and Technology are experienced through a wide variety of mediums; for example, the children will learn to use computers and the Interactive Whiteboard. Cooking. Free exploration with magnifying glasses, torches, feely bags

Expressive Art and Design

• Art: A range of activities that encourages brush and scissor control, drawing, painting.
• Imaginative play: Role play areas and small world. Also dressing up, dressing dolls, puppet play, dolls’ house, farm, cars and garage. Imaginative large play-tray scenes.
• Music/sound: Hands-on instrument and percussion work, rhythm games and plenty of singing.

Personal and Social Development

They learn about relationships and how to express their feelings. Children learn about sharing, taking turns and negotiating with others. They begin to understand rules but also develop independence and responsibility.

Communication and Language
In this area children talk about what they want and feel, likes and dislikes. They have opportunities to express themselves through role-play and they can enjoy stories, songs, poems and rhymes.

Physical Development
This area sees children playing and learning inside and outside. They will get opportunities to chase, race, jump, balance and play with a partner. Children will learn to dress and undress themselves. They will use different types of tools for drawing, painting, cutting and sticking to develop fine motor skills.

Literacy
Pre-reading skills are introduced through core texts relating to the topic, storytelling through role play and small worlds. In addition oral blending and segmenting activities take place daily during the phonics sessions. Phonics is taught through speaking and listening activities.

Phase 1 is split into 7 aspects:

1. General sound discrimination – environmental.
2. General sound discrimination – instrumental.
3. General sound discrimination – body.
4. Rhythm & rhyme.
5. Alliteration (e.g. silly sausages sizzle slowly).
6. Make your own voice sounds (e.g. going down a slide/ keep everyone quiet/ buzz like a bee).
7. Oral blending (ready to read) & segmenting (ready to write).

More information on phonics progression can be found in Reception/literacy/What is letters and sounds pre-writing skills will be developed through group writing and drama session. Fine motor control activities will involve tracing handwriting patterns, writing names, weaving to develop pencil grip.

Mathematics
In this area the children sort and group objects and materials, explaining why they have done something. They will compare height, weight, size and texture. Children will begin to use positional language to tell where things are and to put things in order. Children have opportunities to make models with shapes and talk about them and what they look like. They will then notice and make patterns with them. Children will recognize numbers around them, they will begin to count, add objects together and take them away.

Understanding the World
In this area it involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.

Expressive Arts and Design
They will explore colour, shape and texture using their senses. Children will be able to listen to and make their own music, dance, sing songs and take part in imaginative role play with others.

In the Reception Class the children commence full-time education. We provide a learning environment, building on concepts developed in Nursery, which underpin the seven areas of learning.

Communication and language

The development of communication and language is at the heart of young children’s learning. It involves giving children opportunities to speak and listen in a range of situations and to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves.

Children are encouraged to listen to stories attentively, listen carefully to each other and ask relevant questions. Throughout the year, they are urged to follow instructions, often involving several actions or ideas and answer ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions about what they are learning and their experience. Participate in class and group discussions, learning to talk clearly and confidently and through role-play, they learn to create their own stories or recreate familiar experiences, stimulating further language development.

Physical Development
Physical Development in the Foundation Stage is about the growth of coordination, skills, control, manipulation and movement. Two other very important aspects are increasing self-confidence in what can be achieved and learning about the positive benefits of being healthy and active.

Personal Social and Emotional Development
This area of learning involves helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves and others to form positive relationships and develop respect for others to develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings to understand appropriate behaviour in groups and to have confidence in their own abilities.

Literacy
This involves encouraging children to link letters and sounds, Literacy in the Early Years includes talking about books, print in the environment, early mark making and writing, as well as sharing books and reading.

What are Letters and Sounds?
Letters and Sounds is a structured approach to the teaching of phonics, reading and writing. The content is organised into 6 phases. Children will be ready to progress to each stage at different ages and teaching is organised to best meet individual children’s needs. This may mean that your child is not always working with children in the same year group. Phonics is taught every day.