Getting it Right for Every Child – Page 2 – Colquhoun Park Early Years Centre

February 2, 2022

Transitioning to Primary 1

Its that time of year again when we begin to start thinking about our pre-schoolers moving on to start their primary school adventures.

As a service it is our aim to make the transition from our EYC to school as smooth as possible, supporting them (and you) to be emotionally ready for the move.

We begin to focus on primary transition for our pre-school children around April. Children who are going to Colquhoun Park will already be familiar with the school building, passed the early years centre as we use the school gym hall/cafeteria twice weekly. We from time to time will also use the school pitches and the primary 1 play space at the front of the building. During the Spring break keyworkers will take all pre-school children down into the primary 1 classrooms within the while they are empty to begin to familiarise them with the classroom setting. This is a beneficial process even if your child will not be attending Colquhoun Park as it allows them to explore another environment, and gives them opportunities to discuss, play, and process what school life may be like, This same process and opportunity is given to the children during the Summer break.

The Primary 1 teacher at Colquhoun Park and the classroom support will visit the EYC to introduce themselves to the children.

Social stories are often used by staff and focus is very much centred around the children’s emotional well-being during this time. These are all done generically and with class groups.

If your child is not due to attend Colquhoun Park Primary, the transition for their designated primary school will be arranged via correspondence directly from them. Whilst attending Colquhoun Park EYC your child will be exposed to, and offered the same opportunities to discuss and explore the primary school environment and where possible images of their new school environment will also be used to support their transition into Primary 1.

If you have concerns surrounding your child’s transition please do not hesitate to speak to a member of our team.

October 1, 2021November 11, 2021

Childsmile

We are excited to report that we will be restarting tooth brushing in the centre again within the next few weeks 😁

The benefits of toothbrushing at nursery, alongside friends, is that it is a fun and social experience and encourages children to have a positive attitude to toothbrushing. Research shows that the introduction of universal nursery toothbrushing has had a positive impact on children’s oral health, reducing the number of children presenting with decay by the time they begin school.

Next week we will be offering experiences throughout the playrooms designed to promote their awareness of good

oral health and prepare the children for the reintroduction of toothbrushing in to their daily routine.

Please remember to complete and return your negative consent form by the 5th of October if the DO NOT wish your child to take part in the toothbrushing programme.

I have attached a link to the Childsmile website if you require more information.

Childsmile Information

August 30, 2021September 2, 2021

Emotional Wellbeing & Involvement

As reflective practitioners it is important that we ensure all of our learners are accessing the very best out of our environment. We aim to meet the individual needs of all our children using a holistic approach to their social, emotional, physical and cognitive development.

In order to assess ourselves, our activities and our environment it is important that we look at our delivery critically, acknowledging area for improvement, where we can maximise the engagement and early years experience for your children.

Ferre Laevers – Emotional Wellbeing and Involvement Scale

Using the Leuven Scale for emotional wellbeing and Involvement we carry out up to 3 class screens a year. During these screenings we are observing children’s emotional wellbeing and engagement.

The Leuven Scale is a five-point scale that allows early years practitioners to measure children’s ’emotional well-being’ and ‘involvement’ – two vital components of learning, development and progress in children.

The Leuven Scale is a form of assessment created by Professor Dr. Ferre Laevers, director of the Research Centre for Experiential Education based in the Leuven University, Belgium. Laevers states “children in a high state of ‘well-being’ are like ‘fish in water’. They are comfortable in their environment, confident and eager to experiment and explore. Whereas, children with low levels of well-being often appear frightened, anxious and dependent, making it hard for them to learn in a sustained way and explore their potential. Similarly, high levels of ‘involvement’ – characterised by curiosity, fascination, deep satisfaction and a genuine interest in what they are doing – is an indicator of ‘deeper-level’, meaningful learning”.

Further information on the leuven scale and how it can inform planning and experiences in the early years can be found by clicking here.