CURRICULUM POLICY FOR EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE  

 

Rationale 

Our Vision for education at Little Wonderland Nursery is that we will deliver a high quality education which will provide the best start in life for all our children.  We are committed to giving all our children and young people an equal chance to fulfil their potential.

 

Our Aim is to:   Provide the best start in life for all our children.

 

Dumfries and Galloway Education Services’ vision is to raise standards of Achievement, Attainment and Participation for all of our children through Curriculum for Excellence 3-18. 

 

The National Improvement Framework and Improvement Plan is designed to help deliver excellence, in terms of ensuring children and young people acquire a broad range of skills and capacities at the highest levels and equity for all so ensuring every child has the same opportunity to succeed regardless of their social circumstances or additional needs. The national improvement priorities:

• Improvement in attainment, particularly literacy and numeracy;
• Closing the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children;
• Improvement in children and young people’s health and wellbeing; and
• Improvement in employability skills and sustained, positive school leaver destinations for all young people.

 

This policy sets out the approach for children accessing Early Learning and Childcare. This approach applies to children aged two to five, including children who are deferring entry to primary one.

 

All children have ‘the right to be safe, healthy, active, nurtured, achieving, responsible, respected and included’ (GIRFEC Well-being Indicators) and therefore we recognise the importance of quality Early Learning and Childcare for young children. 

 

All children are entitled to an ELC experience that promotes equal opportunity and nondiscrimination on the basis of social circumstances, gender, race, religion, cultural beliefs and disability.  

 

In Dumfries and Galloway, pre-school will be delivered through a play-based curriculum. ‘(This) is now widely considered to be the most appropriate approach for the development of young children's learning.’   

(Curriculum for Excellence Information for Parents and Carers publication)  

 

Quality play provision in a child centred and stimulating environment supported by appropriate interaction and sensitive intervention allows children to develop socially, emotionally, cognitively and physically. 

 

 

Two Year Olds

The national guidance, Pre-Birth to Three: Positive Outcomes for Scotland’s Children and Families should be adhered to when providing suitable experiences for eligible two year olds in Early Learning and Childcare settings. Pre-Birth to Three

 

The document sets out the four Key Principles:

Rights of the Child

Relationships

Responsive Care 

Respect

It is based on the fundamental understanding that relationships, environment, health, family and community all influence and shape children’s development. Whilst children’s early experiences play an important part in shaping their future attitudes and dispositions, very young children are capable individuals in their own right, and, with appropriate support, can develop resilience to deal with many of life’s challenges.

 

Staff should ensure that practice reflects that which is outlined in Realising the Ambition with particular regard to providing developmentally appropriate experiences for toddlers.

 

 

Principles of the Early Level Curriculum 

The Early Level curriculum Curriculum for Excellence is designed for children aged three and over, usually until the end of primary one. Some children will achieve the Early Level before completing primary one and for some children this may be later depending on their stage of development.

 

The curriculum is ‘the totality of all that is planned for children throughout their education’. (Building the Curriculum 3).  It includes:  

 

• the ethos and life of the pre-school;
• the eight curricular areas: Expressive Arts, Literacy, Health and Wellbeing, Mathematics and Numeracy, Religious and Moral Education, Sciences, Social Studies and Technologies (Early Level, Curriculum for Excellence);
• inter-disciplinary learning through experiential play; and
• opportunities for personal achievement within and out with ELC.

 

The purpose of the curriculum is to develop children’s capacity to become: 

 

Successful Learners with 

• enthusiasm and motivation for learning
• determination to reach high standards of achievement
• openness of new thinking and ideas

 

and be able to 

• use literacy, communication and numeracy skills
• use technology for learning
• think creatively and independently
• learn independently and as part of a group
• make reasoned evaluations
• link and apply different kinds of learning in new situations

                

Confident Individuals with 

• self-respect
• a sense of physical, mental and emotional wellbeing
• secure values and beliefs

 

and be able to  

• relate to other and manage themselves
• pursue a healthy and active lifestyle
• be self-aware
• develop and communicate their own beliefs and view of the world
• live as independently as they can
• assess risk and take informed decisions
• achieve success in different areas of activity

 

Responsible Citizens with 

• respect for others
• commitment to participate responsibly in political, economic, social and cultural life

 

and be able to 

• develop knowledge and understanding of the world and Scotland’s place in it
• understand different beliefs and cultures
• make informed choices and decisions
• evaluate environmental, scientific and technological issues
• develop informed, ethical views of complex issues

 

Effective Contributors with 

• an enterprising attitude
• resilience
• self-reliance

 

and be able to 

• communicate in different ways and in different settings
• work in partnership and in teams
• take the initiative and lead
• apply critical thinking in new contexts
• create and develop
• solve problems

 

All children are entitled to the highest possible quality of learning and teaching which should be engaging, challenging, relevant and enjoyable with opportunities to investigate, explore, create, imagine and solve problems through spontaneous and planned play. 

 

The curriculum should take account of individual children’s needs and abilities promoting learning and progression in all aspects of development; socially, emotionally, cognitively and physically. 

 

The curriculum should enable all children to build on prior knowledge, develop understanding, practise and apply skills for lifelong learning. 

 

The information contained within the Early Level Guidance Material (Dumfries and Galloway Council) will further support practitioners to deliver the Early Level (see model below).  

 

This includes support material to develop learning environments, planning principles and processes and assessment and tracking. 

 

 

Staff should ensure that practice reflects and is guided by that which is outlined in Realising the Ambition paying particular regard to providing developmentally appropriate experiences for young children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Model for Early Level Curriculum for Excellence 

  

  

   

Roles and Responsibilities of Practitioners 

  

To work as a team: 

 

• To provide a safe, secure, stimulating and challenging environment with a broad range of activities through quality daily core provision, which supports the delivery of Experiences and Outcomes, Early Level, Curriculum for Excellence in line with national practice guidance

‘Building the Ambition’. 

 

• To plan appropriate experiences and activities taking account of the Entitlements and Principles of Curriculum Design (Challenge and Enjoyment, Breadth, Progression, Depth, Personalisation and Choice, Coherence, Relevance).

 

• To provide opportunities for learning indoors and outdoors and in the local and wider community.

 

• To assess individuals’ progress and achievements and plan appropriate next steps within a Personal Plan and Personal Learning Plan or Learning Journey.

 

• To involve children in planning and assessing their own learning.

 

• To acknowledge and value the role of parents/carers in their child’s education.

 

• To ensure opportunities for parents/carers engagement in all aspects of the curriculum including the planning and assessment process.

 

• To provide the opportunities to consult with and report to parent/carers.

 

• To provide appropriate information at points of transition to ensure continuity and progression across the Early Level curriculum.

 

• To evaluate the curriculum using The Quality Improvement Quality Improvement Framework for ELC quality indicators and attend appropriate CPD to develop practice in line with current local and national guidance. 

 

• To work in partnership with other individuals, pre-school establishments and agencies to meet

children’s individual support needs. 

 

• All Practitioners should take account of the 4 Key Principles: ‘Pre-Birth – Three’ (Scottish Government) to meet the needs of the youngest children. Rights of the Child, Relationships, Responsive Care and Respect.  

 

 

 Other resources which will support the design and implementation of quality experiences include:

 

Our Creative Journey

 

My World Outdoors

 

Loose Parts Play

 

 

Stacey Sneddon

Nursery Manager

Updated: January 2026