© Copyright 2016
Our philosophy is “Children’s play
is their work”
At Cygnets we promote learning
through play by following the
children’s interests and looking for
teachable moments where we can
extend and embed learning. If
children are involved in making
their own choices they become
more independent and confident in
their learning.
Your children will be educated in
an environment where their
intellectual abilities and self-
esteem grow, where imagination
and curiosity are cultivated,
where critical thinking and
competencies flourish, and where
they learn to respect all cultures,
value others and their opinions.
In the moment planning uses the
OFSTED’s definition of teaching
which is:
‘Teaching should not be taken to
imply a ‘top down’ or formal way
of working. It is a broad term
which covers the many different
ways in which adults help young
children learn. It includes their
interactions with children during
planned and child-initiated play
and activities: communicating and
modeling language, showing,
explaining, demonstrating,
exploring ideas, encouraging,
questioning, recalling, providing a
narrative for what they are doing,
facilitating and setting challenges.
It takes account of the equipment
they provide and the attention to
the physical environment as well
as the structure and routines of
the day that establish
expectations. Integral to teaching
is how practitioners assess what
children know, understand and can
do as well as take account of their
interests and dispositions to
learning (characteristics of
effective learning), and use this
information to plan children’s next
steps in learning and monitor their
progress.’
Children are born with a natural desire to
explore and learn and practitioners can support
them in this. We do this by creating an enabling
environment (both physical and emotional) and
through the relationships and interactions that
the children experience. We do not plan ahead,
rather we remain ‘in the moment’ with the
children as they explore and learn. We observe
carefully, and enhance the learning whenever we
spot a ‘teachable moment’. Our observations,
interactions and the outcomes are recorded
afterwards.
Child-led learning in the early years allows
children to thrive while making accelerating
progress. Young children learn and develop best
when they are in a stimulating environment that
is carefully organised and equipped to meet their
needs, interests and stages of development, and
where each children’s progress is carefully
observed, managed and enhanced by adults who
engage and interact with them to support them in
making outstanding progress.”
Anna Ephgrave the Nursery Year in Action 2015
