Curriculum Information

Dunlop Early Childhood Centre provides an exciting and interesting play based and investigative curriculum which puts every child at the centre of their learning. We work hard to ensure we provide a relevant, progressive and balanced indoors and outdoors curriculum with high quality learning experiences and resources which supports and challenges every child.

The curriculum we provide will enable the children to become, Successful Learners, Confident Individuals, Responsible Citizens and Effective Contributors.

To help us achieve our aims for learning, our planning and teaching is underpinned by the following documentation:

• Curriculum for Excellence Early Level (CfE)
• Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC)
• Building the Ambition
• How Good is our Early Learning and Childcare (HGIOELC)

Curriculum for Excellence puts the child at the centre of learning and the Early Level of Curriculum for Excellence is designed to meet the needs of most children from 3 years until the end of Primary 1. This promotes continuity and progression of learning across the early learning and childcare and into Primary 1.

CfE promotes the importance of:

• Active and Experiential Learning
• A Holistic Approach To Learning
• Smooth Transitions
• Learning Through Play

Throughout their time with us, the children are provided with CfE Early Level learning experiences ongoing across all eight areas of the curriculum.

• Languages (English and French)
• Mathematics
• Expressive Arts (Drama, Music & Art and Design)
• Health and Wellbeing (including Physical Education)
• Sciences
• Social Studies
• Technologies
• Religious and Moral Education

It is our aim to ensure every child experiences a broad education which develops: Skills for Learning, Skills for Life and Skills for Work.

Personalisation and Choice

In Dunlop ECC, our children are particularly articulate and they can express their ideas, needs and wants with clarity.  We build upon these language skills through consulting with them in decision making processes.

We particularly value listening to children by taking account of their individual interests and needs and we use this to help shape the experiences they are provided with for both indoors and outdoors play based learning.

From the session 2019/2020 onwards, all the children will be involved in the Talking and Thinking Floorbook Approach. The Floorbook Approach is an innovative child-led approach to observation, documentation and planning of learning.

The children will be consulted and supported in planning for their learning using mind maps to shape and direct the learning experiences most relevant to their needs and interests. From the mind maps, the Staff Team and the children will create a Talking and Thinking Floorbook for each area of the setting.

The Key Features of each Talking and Thinking Floorbook will be:

• The Documentation of the Children’s Ideas, Thoughts and Learning
• Higher Order Thinking
• Depth and Progression of Learning
• Collaborative Learning

Floorbook Planning is widely recognised as the most effective means of purposeful and progressive planning for early years learning.

The floor book approach focuses on higher order thinking skills and engagement strategies so that adults can inspire children to be life-long learners. When we record children’s thinking as an integral part of the planning cycle we give it value as they feel consulted about their ideas and plans.   Claire Warden, 2012

To ensure the children are provided with a variety of interesting and engaging learning opportunities to support learning in a variety of contexts, our daily and/or weekly timetable includes:

• Welcome Time
• Soft Start or Soft Finish to Learning
• Free Flow Play
• Moving Matters: Park Walks and Cosmic Yoga
• Snack Time
• Group Time
• Book Bug
• Physical Education
• Daily Play: both indoors and outside
• Mini Forest Schools

I hope this outline of the Early Years Curriculum provides you with an overview of how your child will learn while they are with us. Please note, ongoing throughout the year, we will consult with you in a variety of ways to ensure you know how your child is progressing and all the lovely achievements they will make during their time with us.

With kind regards, Mrs Nouillan