🌱 Welcome to Our Early Learning Centre
Our Early Learning Centre provides a nurturing and stimulating environment where children feel safe, valued and ready to learn.
We welcome children aged 3–5, and also offer places for eligible two-year-olds who meet the local authority criteria.
Our ELC operates Monday to Friday from 9:10am – 3:10pm, providing a healthy snack and lunch each day.
Children are part of the wider Bowmore Primary community and benefit from strong links with the school as they grow and prepare for Primary 1.
🧸 Our Approach to Learning
Our practice is guided by Realising the Ambition, Scotland’s national practice guidance for early years developed by Education Scotland.
Realising the Ambition highlights that young children learn best through:
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Play and exploration
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Warm, responsive relationships
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Meaningful interactions with adults
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Curiosity, creativity and discovery
Through carefully planned play experiences, children develop the confidence, skills and independence that support learning throughout their lives.
🎨 What Children Learn
Children in the ELC learn through the Early Level of the Curriculum for Excellence, which focuses on developing the whole child.
Learning experiences help children develop:
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Communication and early literacy
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Numeracy and problem solving
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Health and wellbeing
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Creativity and expressive arts
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Understanding the world around them
Learning is often integrated across these areas through play, stories, exploration and real-life experiences.
🌳 Learning Through Play
Play is central to learning in the early years. Through play children develop creativity, language, social skills and confidence.
Children take part in a wide range of experiences including:
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imaginative role play
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construction and problem solving
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storytelling and early writing
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art, music and creativity
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sensory and exploratory play
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early maths through games and activities
Staff carefully observe children’s interests and plan experiences that extend their learning.
🌊 Outdoor Learning
Outdoor learning is an important part of life in our ELC.
Children spend time outside each day where they can:
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develop physical skills
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explore nature and the seasons
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investigate the world around them
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build confidence and resilience
Our island environment provides wonderful opportunities for children to connect with nature and learn about their local community.
👩👧 Key Workers and Relationships
Every child is supported by a key worker, who builds a strong relationship with the child and their family.
The key worker:
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helps children settle and feel secure
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observes and supports learning and development
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shares progress with families
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ensures each child’s needs and interests are understood
Strong relationships help children feel confident and ready to learn.
❤️ Wellbeing and GIRFEC
Our approach to supporting children’s wellbeing follows Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC), Scotland’s national framework for supporting children and young people.
We aim to help every child feel:
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Safe
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Healthy
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Achieving
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Nurtured
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Active
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Respected
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Responsible
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Included
These wellbeing indicators guide how we support children and work with families.
🧒 Children’s Rights
Children’s rights are an important part of life at Bowmore Primary. Our practice reflects the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
In our ELC we support children to:
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feel safe and cared for
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express their ideas and opinions
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play and learn in a supportive environment
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be treated with fairness and respect
Children begin to learn about their rights in ways that are meaningful and appropriate for their age.
📱 Sharing Learning with Families
We value strong partnerships with families and believe parents and carers are a child’s first and most important educators.
We share children’s learning with families through:
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conversations with staff
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digital updates and learning stories on Seesaw
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opportunities to visit and share learning
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transition activities with the school
Working together helps us support every child’s development and wellbeing.
🔄 Transitions to Primary School
Being part of Bowmore Primary allows children to experience a smooth and confident transition into Primary 1.
Children take part in regular weekly joint sessions with the Primary 1 class, giving them opportunities to learn, play and become familiar with the school environment. They also spend time with the Primary 1 teacher, helping to build relationships and confidence before moving into school.
These experiences help children feel comfortable and excited about the next stage of their learning journey.
