We believe that children learn best by actively pursuing their interests and ideas through exploratory play, supported by staff who extend their learning, facilitating the child's process of creating and developing theories about the world.
Children’s personal, social and emotional development is central to their learning and we support this through the development of positive and caring relationships.
Each child has a key person who completes their Learning journey through The Famly app platform.

We encourage the development of self-confidence and self-awareness and children become independent learners by choosing resources and accessing all areas of the
settings environment. We support children in managing feelings and behaviour through giving them the vocabulary to name a range of emotions and use a conflict resolution approach, where we help children learn how to find solutions to their conflicts and help support how they manage the conflict next time.
Respect for children’s rights runs through our curriculum. We help develop children’s acceptance of difference and diversity and supports the development of a strong
moral compass. It is evident in interactions between staff and children, where staff listen to children and children show respect for each other and for adults.
We believe in child centred learning and plan for a balance of child initiated and adult led learning.
We use the Development Matters 2020 in the Early Years Foundation Stage guidance which sets out what a child is expected to learn from birth to five years.

We provide a rich and varied learning environment, planning sequenced and vocabulary rich learning in all areas of the curriculum and allowing children to learn in a variety of ways, with a balance of child and adult initiated learning. Learning is linked closely to our Story Curriculum.
We value learning outdoors, and believe that being outdoors has a positive impact on children's sense of well-being and on their development. We plan for learning
outdoors across the curriculum and children have access to the outdoor learning environment throughout the day.
We encourage children to take responsibility for their own learning, to be involved, as far as possible, in reviewing the way they learn, what helps them learn and what
makes it difficult for them to learn.

We aim to develop the Characteristics of Effective Teaching
and learning through our teaching:

• Finding out and exploring
• Using what they know in their play
• Being willing to have a go
• Being involved and concentrating
• Keeping on trying
• Enjoying achieving what they set out to do
• Having their own ideas
• Making links
• Choosing ways to do things
• We plan activities, experiences and provocations to meet needs identified from observation and assessment, and extend children’s learning through:
• Planning in the moment for child-initiated learning during free flow play
• Children’s reflection on their learning to develop meta-cognition
• Quiet time with yoga and massage to develop self-regulation
• A focus on a range of core books over the year through our Story Curriculum, so that the children develop a bank of deeply known and loved shared stories
• Daily stories linked to our Story Curriculum
• Weekly Library Book exchange
• Action songs and nursery rhymes to build up vocabulary and understanding of rhyme and
• rhythm
• Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities are supported with one to one work, intensive interactions and visual timetables. PEC’s practitioners support with PEC’s and Pre-PEC’s.
• A nurture group using DMP and Theraplay techniques supports those with lower emotional well-being.

Outdoor/Indoor Play
At Early Years @ Highfield-Whitehouse this is a priority; young children need to feel safe and secure and they also need to be motivated. Children need to have access to a stimulating learning environment which will encourage them to explore, investigate and learn through first-hand experience. We believe it is essential to view the outdoor and indoor area as one learning environment. Therefore, the children have opportunities for uninterrupted play and to select activities both indoors and out. Many of the children choose to play outside and opportunities are replicated in and out. Children create, do number work, write and investigate across the environment. It is essential that they are comfortable and we ask that you choose
play clothing suitable for both indoors and outside.
When the children are playing they may get messy but this is how they learn!