The Early Years Curriculum is based upon four principles:

  • A Unique Child - Developing resilient, capable, confident, and self-assured individuals.
  • Positive Relationships - Supporting the children and becoming strong and independent.
  • Enabling Environments - Where opportunities and experiences respond to the individual needs of the child by developing a strong partnership between practitioners, parents, and the child.
  • Learning and Developing - An acknowledgement that children learn in different ways and at different rates.

Characteristics of Effective Learning

Planning for the learning landscape (inside and outside), interest points and next steps will reflect on the different ways that children learn and echo these in their practice. At Southwold School, we support children in using the three characteristics of effective learning. These are:

  • Playing and Exploring- Children investigate and experience things and have a go. 
  • Active Learning- Children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties and enjoy achievements. 
  • Creating and thinking critically- Children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.