Our curriculum has been developed in conjunction with the DfE guidance, including, but not limited to the following:

• The Early Years Foundation Stage (2021)
• Development Matters (Non-statutory curriculum guidance for the early years foundation stage) Revised July 2021

Statutory guidance outlines settings should provide:

Quality and Consistency: At Hale we work hard to ensure all children make good progress and achieve their potential. We pride ourselves on having an inclusive environment that ensures children are both supported and challenged in their learning.

A Secure Foundation: Our curriculum is planned according to children’s individual curiosities, through core stories, themes, and community needs. We are highly reflective and use observations and interactions to inform future planning.

Partnership Working: The community ad working in partnership with parents is very important to us Hale. We view it as vital in ensuring that all children are provided with the best start in education so that they continue to make good progress throughout their school life.

Equality of Opportunity: We aim to provide a safe, caring, and friendly environment for all our children to allow them to learn effectively, improve their life chances and help them to reach their full potential.

We have designed our curriculum in accordance with the four guiding principles:

• Unique Child
• Positive Relationships
• Enabling Environments
• Learning and Development

There are seven areas of learning. Three of these are seen as the prime focus for healthy development of pre-school aged children. They are seen as the foundations of learning.

Communication and Language

• Listening, Attention and Understanding
• Speaking

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

• Self-Regulation
• Managing Self
• Building Relationships

Physical Development

• Fine Motor
• Gross Motor

Literacy

• Comprehension
• Word Reading
• Writing

Mathematics

• Number
• Numerical Patterns

Expressive Arts and Design

• Creating with Materials
• Being Imaginative and Expressive

Understanding the World

• Past and Present
• People, Culture and Communities
• Natural World

Children are encouraged to be independent, and we have many areas and activities where children can self-select materials and equipment. Through such child-initiated play the children can develop ‘Characteristics of Effective learning’ which include:

• Playing and Exploring
• Active Learning
• Creative and Critical Thinking