Developing Good Practice

To Support School Improvement in

The Foundation Stage

Achieving DerryBright Futures

Aim

To develop a strategic approach to ensure an effective Foundation

Stage

Objectives• Develop good practice to support school

improvement

• Explore the Rationale of the Foundation Stage

• Develop an effective learning environment

• Implement learning, teaching and assessment cycle

ADBF

“The ADBF approach involves working with all schools in the DCC area. The focus is on supporting pupils, particularly those most at risk of underachievement, in a holistic way through partnership working.”

Aims of the Foundation Stage

‘The Northern Ireland Curriculum aims to empower young people to develop their potential and make informed decisions

throughout their lives.’

Workshop

Reflecting on your context;

Identify one aspect of the Foundation Stage that you believe is proving to be the most

successful

And what evidence would you use to support this

The Principles underpinning the Foundation Stage

‘Young children learn best when learning is interactive, practical and enjoyable for both

children and teachers.’

Coffee

WorkshopWhat Are the Characteristics of an Effective Early Years Practitioner ?

The Role of the Adult

• Adults can enhance the learning potential of an activity (or inhibit it)

• The cognitive level of an activity is often raised when an adult is involved

• Adults have the power to switch children on to learning or to destroy their natural exploratory drive

The adults role in supporting learning

• Careful, considered and informed planning

• Choice of resources

• Questioning: effective & open-ended

• Modelling, appropriate language and skills

• Enthusiasm & interest

• Knowing when or not to intervene

Can the adult inhibit learning ?

• Asking too many questions

• ‘Closed’ questions

• Over-direction / adult taking over

• Not giving the children enough time

• Over-emphasis on the product rather than the process

Learning Partnerships

Parents and carers are children’s first educators and learning at home happens in

a natural and informal way. It is essential that there is open communication between school and home which is based on shared

understanding and mutual respect.

Partnerships with other Professionals

To allow for the exchange of information, it is important that good relationships are

established with members of the community and the other agencies that contribute to the

child’s all round development.

Transition

• What do you know about the child on entry to Year 1

• What do you need to know about the child?

• How can you manage this information effectively to support learning?

Physical Environment

‘Learning environments should be secure, interesting and challenging.

The Physical Environment

• Attractive and welcoming

• Be organised

• Follow health and safety requirements

• Appropriately resourced

Snack Time

Snack time is more than the provision of food – it is a learning opportunity

PRINCIPLES OF EARLY YEARS EDUCATION

Play

‘Every child has the right to play’

The UN Convention of Rights of the Child

Article 31

The Purpose of Play

Play provides children with opportunities to experience learning in a meaningful and purposeful way. It is a means by which children can develop their skills and capacities to be effective learners.

Play

Children should have opportunities to experience much of their learning through

well planned and challenging play.

Self initiated play helps children to understand and learn about themselves and

their surroundings

Play

‘Play develops creativity, intellectual competence, emotional strength and stability, and and feelings of joy and pleasure, the habit of being happy’

Piers and Llandau

Play Workshop

Learning through play

-connecting the learning-

Leadership

Next Steps

Supporting development

Planning for Connected Learning

Learning, Learning, Teaching & Teaching & Assessment Assessment

CycleCycle

InputInput

LearninLearning g

ActivityActivity

ImprovemeImprovementnt

PlanniPlanningng Learning Learning

IntentionIntentionss

Success Success CriteriaCriteriaFormativFormativ

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Reflecting Reflecting about about

learninglearning

Starting points• Curriculum requirements

• Children’s interests/ experiences

• Seasonal/ global/topical events

• Media • Story/ music

• Class visit/visitors

• Artefacts

Plan Together•What do we already know?

•What do we want to learn?

•How will we go about this?

•Who/what can help us?

•How do we use our findings?

•How will we tell others?

How do we do it?Choose Starting points based on

How do we do it?

What do already know?

What do we want to learn?

How will we go about this?

Who/what can help us?

How do we use our findings?

How will we tell other?

What have I/we found out?

What did I enjoy most?

What did my friend find out?

What will I/we do next?

What might I/we done differently?

How will I demonstrate my learning?

Meet curriculum requirements

Involve decision making and problem solving

Are practical and stimulating

Promote ad challenge thinking

Allow children to draw conclusions

Allow children to present ideas and demonstrate learning

Curriculum requirements

Children’s interests/ experiences

Seasonal/ global/topical events

Media

Story/ music

Class visit/visitors

Artefacts

Demonstrate and Review Learning

Identify Learning Activities That

Plan Together

Planning

• There is a requirement to plan discretely for Literacy and Numeracy

• Requirement for a minimum of 3 planners Literacy, Numeracy and Topic /Connected Learning

The process of planning

Planning for connected learning

Next steps

Planning for improvement