Activities

Involves helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves, and others; to form positive relationships and develop respect for others; to develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings; to understand appropriate behaviour in groups; and to have confidence in their own abilities.

Children experience abundant opportunity for physical exercise and a healthy diet due to the environment of the setting. Every opportunity is used to talk about ways to keep healthy and safe as well as good role modelling from our experienced practitioners. Children manage their own basic hygiene and personal needs with the use of our purpose built facilities, including wide access doors. The layout of the building is all on one level to enable a totally inclusive setting.

Children are supported to try new activities and encouraged to express their likes and dislikes. There is a strong culture of peer/peer support so that children have lots of resources to help them to achieve. Children develop confidence to speak in a group, and will choose the resources they need for their chosen activities as the room is designed so that children have access to equipment.

At group time we talk about things that the children have enjoyed or not liked so much. This helps us to plan for their learning in a way that is interesting to them, as well as encouraged children to express their feelings. Children talk about their own and others’ behaviour, and staff help children to understand the effect to others. Our behaviour management policy sets out the procedure for managing unacceptable behaviour. We aim for all children to be able to work cooperatively in a group, and as individuals and we support children to be able to adjust their behaviour to different situations, and take changes of routine in their stride.

We encourage turn taking as a way to resolve disputes and use the phrase “take turns”. We place high value on a sense of belonging to part of a group here at Chirpy Chicks, and therefore we encourage children to take account of one another’s ideas about how to organise their activity by intervening if necessary, and standing back to allow them to work it out as appropriate. Staff are qualified and experienced and regularly take training in order to keep up to date with modern teaching practice. Children form positive relationships with adults and other children because we are a small setting. Everyone knows each other, and staff work regular days to allow for continuity for the children.