“Play is a fundamental and vital dimension of the pleasure of childhood, as well as an essential component of physical, social, cognitive, emotional and spiritual development” (UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, 2013)

Our values:

Our preschool setting is a place where children have the right to play.

All children are able to experience and enjoy the essential and special nature of being outdoors.

We value the contribution of all adults, parents and carers, in ensuring that children have this right.

The curriculum:

Play is a core part of our curriculum.

We recognise the value of play, for the sake of it.

We undertake a sustainable, participative and enterprising approach to embedding play.

Learning and teaching:

We support all adults, parents and carers, to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding of play.

We support our children to learn through play, in order to meet their needs.

Experiences and outcomes:

We recognise and we can evidence the learning that happens through play.

We recognise the benefits of nature and natural environments, for providing rich play experiences that develop children’s ecological identity.

Responsible: We care for the resources and our play environment.

Successful learners: Children are motivated, engaged and learning well through play.

Confident individuals: Children gain independence and confidence through their play experiences.

Effective contributors: Children are critical thinkers and problem solvers, who can transfer skills between formal leaning and play.

Entitlements:

Our children have access to sufficient time and space to play. Outdoor play happens in all weathers, all year round, where children access open-ended materials, structures and natural resources that encourage free play.

Personal support:

The benefits of play are recognised and used to provide targeted support for individual children.

As part of a holistic approach to getting it right for every child, loose parts play supports our children’s wellbeing.

Principles:

Our curriculum design principles and our approach to play, are intrinsically linked.

Being outdoors allows children to experience choice, autonomy, risk and challenge.

Evaluation and monitoring:

We monitor and evaluate the quality, range and provision of play and play environments, to ensure that play is a great experience for all involved.