Our ethos...
We believe that all children need to play in order to fully thrive. Play is important to a child’s overall development and many theorists have identified that children learn through play.
We at North Downs Kidz promote the play experience, providing age appropriate play equipment and materials for self exploration. The adult carers facilitate play through the presentation of the environment and by being available to assist with tasks when invited to do so by the child. We believe strongly in child consultation with regard to the play opportunities we offer. Staff plan adult led activities and take a flexible approach to delivery of these activities. The staff go with the children’s ideas and adapt planned activities to suit the needs and interests of the group participating. Children are not made to participate in planned activities, play opportunities are freely chosen by the children. Although safety is a priority, children are allowed to experience an element of risk and challenge within the play experience.
Staff, are trained to deal with situations and can monitor play, stepping in to assist if a child’s risk becomes dangerous to themselves or others in the group. We also use the current EYFS progress matters guidance and the SACERs audit tool, which runs alongside our key worker system to ensure the children’s overall wellbeing whilst in our care.
Consultation with the children regarding rules and boundaries is also a key aspect for us, as we find that they are more likely to follow and promote them if they are involved in the creation of them. We aim to allow children to resolve conflict between them selves as long as it remains safe for all concerned. Adults caring for children will mediate as and when needed, although the emphasis remains on promoting the children’s ability to problem solve, the adults will offer a solution if children involved become anxious or the issues are beyond their ability to resolve themselves.
We feel that it is important for us to be inclusive in our approach and will do our best to accommodate all families. A good communication with parents, schools, local authority advisors and other agencies is vital to the quality of care that we offer the children at our setting.
We fully embrace the play work principles of play; operate a key worker system and use the play stories we create and photographic evidence to fully compliment the EYFS framework and statutory requirement which sets the standards of care we provide, by doing this we step closer towards achieving the child at the centre of process.
Healthy life style, which includes healthy eating, is another focus for us. We follow the governments guidance, eat better do better, and many initiatives which are introduced are adhered to at our setting.
Parents might find it helpful to read the documents attached to understand the play work ethos further and how we work to ensure quality in our setting.
We at North Downs Kidz promote the play experience, providing age appropriate play equipment and materials for self exploration. The adult carers facilitate play through the presentation of the environment and by being available to assist with tasks when invited to do so by the child. We believe strongly in child consultation with regard to the play opportunities we offer. Staff plan adult led activities and take a flexible approach to delivery of these activities. The staff go with the children’s ideas and adapt planned activities to suit the needs and interests of the group participating. Children are not made to participate in planned activities, play opportunities are freely chosen by the children. Although safety is a priority, children are allowed to experience an element of risk and challenge within the play experience.
Staff, are trained to deal with situations and can monitor play, stepping in to assist if a child’s risk becomes dangerous to themselves or others in the group. We also use the current EYFS progress matters guidance and the SACERs audit tool, which runs alongside our key worker system to ensure the children’s overall wellbeing whilst in our care.
Consultation with the children regarding rules and boundaries is also a key aspect for us, as we find that they are more likely to follow and promote them if they are involved in the creation of them. We aim to allow children to resolve conflict between them selves as long as it remains safe for all concerned. Adults caring for children will mediate as and when needed, although the emphasis remains on promoting the children’s ability to problem solve, the adults will offer a solution if children involved become anxious or the issues are beyond their ability to resolve themselves.
We feel that it is important for us to be inclusive in our approach and will do our best to accommodate all families. A good communication with parents, schools, local authority advisors and other agencies is vital to the quality of care that we offer the children at our setting.
We fully embrace the play work principles of play; operate a key worker system and use the play stories we create and photographic evidence to fully compliment the EYFS framework and statutory requirement which sets the standards of care we provide, by doing this we step closer towards achieving the child at the centre of process.
Healthy life style, which includes healthy eating, is another focus for us. We follow the governments guidance, eat better do better, and many initiatives which are introduced are adhered to at our setting.
Parents might find it helpful to read the documents attached to understand the play work ethos further and how we work to ensure quality in our setting.
| charter-for-childrens-play.pdf |
| playwork_-_whats_so_special.pdf |
| 31-poster-a4-final-les-portrait-rdc.pdf |