Welcome to Ants class! 

Here is a list of current practitioners in the room: 

 In Ants Class

In Ants Class we focus on the Prime Areas of Learning from the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS), as well as exploring the specific areas, as the children investigate their interests and build their skills as they grow closer to achieving their next steps. The Prime Areas include Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED), Communication and Language (C&L) and Moving and Handling (MH). The specific areas include Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design. We believe that if a child is exposed to these areas of learning through activities and play that they show interest in and enjoy, then they will be able to develop as young, excitable, and confident learners, as they are able to better retain information and develop new knowledge. We look at creating a welcoming and comfortable environment where both children and parents/carers feel happy and safe.

We work with parents/carers closely, and through a form we use called "All About Me", we discuss with parents/carers what their child(ren) enjoys playing with, what they are good at, and what skills they would like their child(ren) to work towards. This information then assists us when we create next steps for our children, and plan activities based around their interests, to help them achieve their next steps over time. We understand each child is different and will learn in different ways to their peers; this is something we will always take into consideration.

How we learn

In Ants Classroom we have a working wall, cleverly named "Ants at work!". There are several Ants on this wall, and each has a photo of a child's face on it, where their beautiful work is placed around them. These are there to help show off the children’s wonderful work as well as give them a sense of pride when they see it displayed for all to see. The children can choose what work goes onto the boards and they are often very proud of what they have created, and these creations can include mark making with different materials, collaging, or even photos of a wonderful tower they had made and couldn't wait to show their teachers and peers.

Each day, there are planned activities specifically tailored to the children who are in that day. These activities are sometimes independent activities, carried out during free flow, or a group activity, carried out during our group learning time. These activities are always planned with the children's interests in mind, and we have found the children are achieving their next steps at a quicker pace, meaning they are blossoming before our very eyes.

As we stated before, all children are different and some will naturally learn at a slower pace than others which we always take into consideration, and if the child's key person feels they are not quite ready to achieve that next step, then they will create a new next step, and come back to the previous one at a later date.

Our Daily Routine

8:45-9:15am – Meet and greet children and their families – Continuous provision indoors

9:15 – 9:30am – Group time/ Welcome song/Wake up shake up

9:30-10am- Free flow, Child free choice indoors and gross motor equipment

10:00 – 10:15am – Continuous provision indoors/ intimate care needs

10:15 – 10:20 – Tidy up

10.20 -10.30 – Maths Focus Time

10.30-10:45 - Snack Time.

10:45-11:00 Story time and nursery rhymes

11.10 – 11.20 – Outdoor provision (back garden)

11:20 -11.25 – Tidy up

11:30 – 11:45 Children prepare to go home/ lunchtime

11.45-12.30 – Lunch time

12.30 - 12.45pm – Meet and greet children and their families – continuous provision indoors

12.45 - 1.00pm – Group time / Welcome song

1.00 - 1.25pm- Continuous provision indoors

1.25-1.30pm Tidy up

1:30 – 1:50pm Explore gross motor equipment

1:50-2:00pm Maths

2.00 – 2:10pm – Music and movement/ intimate care needs

2:10 – 2:25pm Snack

2:25 – 2:35pm Story time and nursery rhymes

2:35 – 2:45 Children prepare to go home (2:45 finishers)

2:45 – 3:00 Carpet time, quiet activities

3:00 – 3:15  Children prepare to go home

 Ants Curriculum Overview: