Falkirk Early Learning

In Falkirk, Play is the Way is our play pedagogy brand. We firmly believe that all children are unique, curious, capable and intelligent individuals and we aim to implement an approach which is child-centred and aligns with our positive image of young children. We are guided by a wealth or research and also by Scotland’s national guidance document Realising the Ambition: Being Me, which tell us that young children learn best through play and first hand experiences (Bruce 2015). It is our ambition that all young children in Falkirk will experience a broad, stimulating curriculum which is informed by their prior learning and interests about the world around them. They will be supported by highly skilled practitioners who ask thoughtful questions and facilitate learning with depth, challenge and application.  If you would like to find out more, you can view our introduction to Play is the Way document here. https://sway.office.com/ComRKUeHQcoiFhJI?ref=Link. 

Falkirk Council’s early learning team have also created exclusive practice guidance materials and a suite of professional reading PowerPoints to support our leaders and practitioners embed Play is the Way in their settings.  These can be accessed using the link at the bottom of this page.  Please share your own play and learning adventure and follow that of others on Twitter using #PlayisthewayFC.

Eating times provide rich opportunities to foster children’s social wellbeing. In the best ELC settings, snack times are regarded as a rich learning opportunity and skilled staff plan carefully for these experiences. We also know that the importance of fostering positive attitudes to healthy eating begin from a young age. Our aim is to ensure all children can enjoy unhurried snack and meal times in as relaxed an atmosphere as possible.

It is important that children’s Marvellous Mealtimes’ spaces are familiar, nurturing and have a relaxing atmosphere. Where possible Marvellous Mealtimes should take place in the children’s ELC space and the values below should be implemented within the approach. 

Role modelling is a fundamental part of Marvellous Mealtimes. Do adults sit with children at lunch? Do children and adults engage in conversation? How do children respond to the routine of marvellous mealtimes?

Falkirk Froebel Network are known as Falkirk Froebel Family, who are experienced practitioners who have studied through the University of Edinburgh, Froebel and Childhood Practice course. Known as Froebelians who have a shared vision through Froebel’s Philosophy and Principles. 

Our Falkirk Froebel Family blog is a place to collaborate as we share and learn together in Unity. You will find an abundance of information to support Froebel’s Gifts and Occupations along with Froebel’s Principled Practice where Play, Nature, Songs, Storytelling and Real-life experiences are underpinned by our Froebelian Principled Practice. Where every child is unique and every environment enables self-awareness with rich meaningful learning and progression, starting where each individual child is at, where we provide nurturing, welcoming and stimulating spaces with knowledgeable practitioners supporting the concept of Freedom with Guidance. 

In our blog you will find links and places to support developing your knowledge through remote CLPL learning, professional reading and looking outwards to learn from other Froebelian Friends and Family.

To access further information on our Froebel initiatives – please click on the link below : 

‘Falkirk Froebel Family’