Fluidity of Early Level:

Key messages for Primary 1

 

What are these?

The learning environment should feel and look similar to the one experienced in the pre-school setting to ensure the child has a fluid and successful transition.  The experiences should build on previous knowledge and skills, with practitioners facilitating a balance of intentional and responsive learning.

Realising the Ambition (Education Scotland, 2020) describes child-centred pedagogy across the Early Level and promotes the role of the learning spaces, adult-child interactions and experiences in facilitating learning.

“Achieving a consistent pedagogical approach across the ELC sector and the early stages of primary should be a key aspiration.”  (p. 47)

“The focus of our collaborative work should be to build on what the child already knows and can do, avoiding completely the ‘fresh start approach’.”  (p. 92)

“After nursery education children continue to learn by playing.  They do not stop learning through interactive processes and direct experience just because they change classes.”

(Fabian, 2002)

The transition from the setting to P1 should ensure continuity without sameness and change without shock.  The concept of ‘Early Level’ was introduced through the Curriculum for Excellence which set out to,

“… describe experiences and outcomes for children’s learning in ways which will support a more active approach to learning and teaching in early primary school and encourage better continuity and progression for all children across all settings.”

(Building the Curriculum 2, Scottish Executive, 2007, p. 1)

 

Key messages:

Moving into P1 – Transitions

• Throughout the year, well-planned transition processes enable sharing of knowledge and expertise between the setting and P1.
• Transition experience offers an opportunity for practitioners and children to swap environments, share knowledge and expertise of Early Level and of the children, and plan ‘shared’ experiences to build relationships.
• Practitioners focus on building relationships and establishing routines at the start of the P1 year.
• Practitioners need to consider the everyday transitions which may interrupt play opportunities within the day.  The children need to have extended amounts of uninterrupted play opportunities.  This is required to develop skills, understanding and learning linked to their individual interests and needs.  This must be thought through in advance of the children arriving in the setting or school by practitioners. 
• Practitioners should understand the role of play in children’s development, the different types of play that children engage in and ways to support, deepen and extend learning through play.

(Realising the Ambition, Education Scotland, 2020, p. 90)

Learning environments and experiences

“Every learning environment, in terms of interactions, experiences and spaces – both outside and indoors – tells a story about how play is valued.  The learning environment in the early stages of primary school should not look or feel starkly different from a motivating ELC environment.  The level of provocation might be greater, the interaction might be more challenging, and the experiences on offer might be different, but the school environment should be conducive to learning through play.”

(Realising the Ambition, Education Scotland, 2020, p. 46)

Indoor spaces

• Continuous provision:  Learning environments are carefully planned to take account of all children’s stages of development where children can learn independently in the absence of a practitioner.
• Learning environments should act as the ‘third adult‘.  This means that:
  • Children can self-resource for activities they wish to explore.
  • They can tidy away resources in the correct areas.
  • They can use images or signs to know what happens next in the day.
  • They can leave “feedback” after engaging in an activity using a tick sheet, traffic light or facial images system of how they found the experience.
• A playful, well-resourced, and flexible learning environment (indoors and outdoors) supports learning in different ways.
• Well organised learning space that promotes independence, creativity and imaginative use of natural and open-ended resources.
• Numeracy and Literacy are embedded throughout the physical learning environment and in the opportunities through day to day routines and interactions with practitioners.
• Indoor spaces are also carefully planned to ensure children access the broader curriculum, e.g. digital technology, expressive arts, science and technology.

Outdoor spaces

• Practitioners are aware of the significant benefits of learning outdoors to children’s health and wellbeing and engagement in learning.
• Practitioners are aware that outdoor learning is one of the three pillars of Learning for Sustainability.  Therefore, children are entitled to regular and progressive outdoor learning experiences in the school grounds and beyond.
• Easily accessible, safe spaces with resources to develop imaginative, creative play and gross motor play, e.g. loose parts.
• Outdoor spaces are planned, and experiences support Literacy, Numeracy and the broader curriculum.

Adult role

• Practitioners take part in professional learning and discussion to develop knowledge of play pedagogy and how this should underpin their practice in P1.
• Practitioners use observations regularly to plan responsively to meet the needs and interests of children.
• Practitioners knowledge of curriculum and child development supports the planning of learning whilst being responsive to group and individual interests, where possible.
• Balance of adult-led and child-led learning.
• Practitioners awareness and understanding of their many roles in ‘teaching’, e.g. observing, modelling, facilitating, supporting, encouraging, directing, giving feedback, documenting, discussing.
• Practitioners allow pupils to be engaged in self-directed, deep and meaningful experiences independently or with peers.

Documentation and Making Learning Visible

• Practitioners record intentional planning of experiences and outcomes (forward planning).
• Practitioners observe and respond to pupil interests and needs through responsive planning.
• Responsive planning is evidenced through methods used in the setting, e.g. learning journeys, Floorbooks, learning walls and pupils are actively involved in this process.
• Practitioners monitor and respond to levels of pupil engagement.
• Developmental overviews (see tabs at the bottom of the Emerging Literacy page) are used by practitioners to understand the pattern of developmental needs across the whole class.  This helps with early planning for the entire class or individual pupils.
• Practitioners use the trackers from the setting to help them understand where children are in their learning and plan for appropriate support or challenge.
• Practitioners support pupils to articulate their knowledge and skills through different playful experiences.
• Practitioners involve pupils in evidencing their learning in different ways, e.g. using photos, giving verbal feedback, personal planning.

Parental involvement and engagement

• Families are given lots of opportunities to engage in their child’s learning.
• Open door policy where parents are welcomed, valued, respected and included in their child’s learning journey.

 

Ways we can do this:

Transitions – Moving into P1:  Settings have a shared, planned, annual transitions calendar for the setting and P1, (including Private and Voluntary settings and Childminders).

Senior leaders facilitating flexibility of practitioners working between the setting and P1.  For example, some practitioners move from the setting to P1 with children to support the transition process, share knowledge of spaces and children with adults in P1.  The adults in P1 spend time in the setting developing an understanding of Early Level pedagogy.

Opportunities to educate parents on playful learning in P1 through information evenings, photos, open days, virtual tours of the environment, sharing reasons why P1 may appear less structured and formal than their own school experience.

Practitioners need to consider the following:

• Is it necessary for P1 to be in all assemblies?
• When is PE fitted into the timetable?
• When is other teacher non-contact time planned?  These should be designed to allow children the maximum time to have uninterrupted play throughout the day and over the “working” week.

Building relationships and establishing expectations and routines:  Use the first few weeks of term to establish routines and expectations, build relationships, and support independence in developing the effective use of spaces and resources.  This will help children familiarise themselves with the new learning environment.

Practitioners use this time effectively to observe and interact with children during the play to understand the child’s interests and needs as a learner.  This is crucial in developing positive relationships with the children.

Recognition that children need more than an hour to become deeply involved in their play; consider: How we can minimise interruptions to their play as much as possible?

The continuation of learner independence in P1, e.g. having self-serve milk or snack at a designated space (Does this have to be confined to break time only?)

If possible, free flow access to outdoors for extended periods of time throughout the day.

Develop responsibility of children through the use of the health and wellbeing indicators to enable them to make choices and decisions which promote independent thinking, e.g.  Is this safe?  Is this tidy?

At transition points, consider whether everything needs to be tidied away if children are deeply engaged in that particular area.  Make use of ‘work in progress’ signs.

Learning environment and experiences – Learning spaces – indoors:  Practitioners understand the purposes and potential of each learning space.  Continuous provision plans can help identify how the experiences and outcomes across the curricular areas can be targeted through the learning spaces.

Practitioners ensure that children are challenged through the differentiation of resources and use provocations and invitations to motivate and inspire curiosity in children.  Invitations to learn invite the children to explore something new and originate from the practitioner’s thinking.  Provocations provoke thinking and originate from the child’s interests or thinking. 

Less fixed furniture and versatile tables can be easily rearranged into different configurations.  This facilitates playful learning and the ability to respond to the needs and interests of the children.  Practitioners should aim to have flexible seating as the children should be actively moving around or using the space most of the time.  Most formal learning will be done in small groups.

Possible areas for continuous provision could include areas of open floor space for loose parts and construction play.  Other areas may include sand, water, malleable, arts and crafts, role play, a story corner, and puzzles and games.

Partitions can be used to create separate quiet areas.

Neutral colours create a calm environment, creating an atmosphere free of fuss and distractions or cognitive overload for many children.

Natural open-ended multi-purpose resources.

Well organised and labelled resources which children can access and tidy themselves.

Learning environment and experiences – Learning spaces – outdoors:  Identify the possibilities of your outdoor space in supporting learning across the curriculum.

When planning learning, always consider how to use the outdoor space to enhance the children’s learning.

Make use of outdoor learning websites.

Use of photos, floor books, pupil voice to evidence outdoor learning

Adult role:  Practitioners engage in continuous professional learning to support their practice, e.g. SBC Early Years training, professional reading of texts such as Realising The Ambition and HGIOELC, membership of online and discussion groups to share best practice.

Self-evaluation of practice, e.g. using PDSA for small tests of change with support from the leadership team or EYTT to manage the process of change and recognise progress on this development journey.

Teachers, Early Years Officers, and practitioners allocated a leadership role for Early Years work together to create a set of ‘shared values’ around play pedagogy and the learning space in P1.

P1 teachers are not ‘timetabled’ to direct teaching all day.  Instead, a balance of intentional pre-planned learning with the whole group, small groups and individuals or time to observe and respond to children’s needs and interests as they engage with the spaces and resources.

The focus of direct teaching time in P1 is Literacy, Numeracy and Health and Wellbeing with other curricular areas delivered through the provision and responsive planning to pupil interests and motivations.

The pace of direct teaching is manageable to allow time to consolidate and engage in deep learning, building secure foundations for future learning.

Provocations and enhanced provision show how spaces reflect the children’s current interests and motivations.

Practitioners skilled in sustained shared thinking, e.g. using strategies such as commenting or pondering to engage in learning alongside the child.

Pupils have autonomy and are actively involved in making decisions about what they want to learn about and how they might do this (child voice + UNCRC).

Documentation and Making Learning Visible:  Documentation is manageable and proportionate in showing pre-planned (intentional) and responsive planning.  Responsive planning is documented and actioned with the children in the moment, where possible.  The continuation of evidencing learning from the setting to P1 involves the child and continues unchanged, e.g. Floorbooks or learning journeys.

Practitioners model and teach children about learning dispositions, e.g. concentration, co-operation, imagination, resilience, why these are important, what they look like, and why they are essential as life skills.

Children can articulate the skills and learning dispositions gained through playful learning, e.g. in the plenary, through discussions of the models made, using photos shared on interactive boards, using the learning journey or Floorbook.

Use developmental overviews to identify strengths and common gaps and inform initial planning in Primary 1.  Use Literacy and Numeracy trackers as a starting point in identifying common next steps to inform planning (see tabs at the bottom of the Emerging Literacy & Mathematics & Numeracy pages).

Use of Leuven scale of involvement and wellbeing used to observe children’s engagement in spaces and learning.

Parental involvement and engagement:  Workshops for parents to share the open-ended potential of each learning space to get the children involved.

Using social media to keep parents informed of daily or weekly learning, e.g. daily tweets or blogs, highlights the children’s skills.

Using innovative ways of sharing learning with parents through photos, social media, open days, learning journeys.

(Additional resources can be accessed through the Play Pedagogy Padlet and information on play types can be found here Sharing the Ambition).

 

Linked Areas of Practice 

Child Development

Curriculum

Family Partnerships

Leuven Involvement Scale

Making Learning Visible

Observations

Play Pedagogy

Planning

Sensitive Interactions

Spaces – Indoor, Outdoor, Beyond the Gates

Tracking, Monitoring & Assessment

Transitions

Wait Watch Wonder

 

Tools  

Reflecting on Practice

SBC Guidance to support

National Guidance to support

Further Reading to support

Training to support

SBC Early Years training video Fluidity of Early Level:

The SBC Early Years training for this page is currently being reviewed and updated.