At Springboard Pre-School, we understand that exploration and play support young children’s learning and development. This is how children experience and understand the world around them. We have created a stimulating environment which encourages children to learn and develop through play.

Our curriculum offers a balance of child led and adult planned fun activities to help your child make progress in all areas. These are based on the nationally approved Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) which consists of three Prime Areas and four Specific Areas:

Prime Areas

Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)

Within a nurturing environment, your child will be helped to develop a positive sense of themselves, respect for others and to form positive relationships through activities, conversations and the role models of other group members. Children are given the opportunity to take responsibility for themselves, the group and the Pre-School environment.

Communication and Language (CL)
All our children are encouraged to extend their vocabulary and fluency in a stimulating environment by talking, listening and responding to stories, songs and rhymes in a range of situations.

Physical Development (PD)
Activities requiring physical movement help to develop their coordination, control, balance and movement, and gross and fine motor skills which are all essential for their progress into the school environment.

Specific Areas

Literacy (L)
Children have opportunities to use different mark making resources both indoors and outside. Children can enjoy a wide range of books and stories by themselves or in group activities. They can also participate in our “Young Librarian” scheme, to help them develop a sense of responsibility and learn to share positive experiences of books and reading.

Daily group activities help children to develop their understanding of sound and letters through fun activities.

Mathematics (M)
Our resources and dedicated team of practitioners help children to gain experience in counting, sorting, sequencing, matching and simple addition. Songs, rhymes and picture books are used to help teach number sequences and progress onto straightforward counting.

Language associated with size, shape and numbers are explored through play and in group activities.

Understanding the World (UW)
We encouraged and help and understanding their environment and community. Our garden area and outings allow children to experience different opportunities and observe objects, patterns and materials. Mechanical toys, construction activities and tablets also help to extend their understanding of technology.

Expressive Arts and Design (EAD)
Our curriculum supports children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials as well as developing their imagination to share their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance and role-play.

Children’s Learning and Assessment
At Springboard Pre-School, we understand that children develop and learn at different rates and engage with other people and their environment through different ways of learning – the so-called “Characteristics of Effective Learning”.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) characterises these styles as:

• Playing and exploring – which leads to engagement with a point of interest;
• Active learning – which stems from motivation and concentration;
• Creating and thinking critically – thinking about problems and problem solving.

By observing how children learn, we aim to support each child to be an effective and motivated learner. This helps us to assess how children develop and to show their progress in a “Learning Journey” which will accompany them as they start school.