When creating their own curriculum Rosemary Lane Nursery School identified the need to highly focus on co- and self-regulation. Headteacher Jill Jones and Deputy Head Rebecca Martin discuss the need to constantly refine what they offer their children, planning for what they know, termly reviewing the curriculum and keeping it flexible. As such they are adapting their curriculum constantly. They share their main focus of identifying what they want children to achieve by the end of their time in the setting and how they can be best supported to reach those goals.
Read Jill's and Rebecca's article here:
This episode stems from the Education Durham Early Years Curriculum Project, which involved 26 schools focusing on strengthening purposeful curriculum design and implementation, and empowering leaders and educators in creating meaningful contexts for progressive teaching and learning.
Find out more about the Education Durham Early Years Curriculum Project:
https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/projects/education-durham-project/
Listen to more:
If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like the episode from Jan Dubiel and Anne Brass introducing the Education Durham early years curriculum project: https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/early-years-curriculum-project-part-1-the-voice-of-the-project-co-ordinator/
You might also like to read:
Building sequences of learning – by Paige Hutchinson https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/early-years-curriculum-building-sequences-of-learning/
Curriculum and provision for 2-year-olds – by Charlotte Norman
https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/early-years-curriculum-provision-for-2-year-olds/
Episode break down:
00:00 – The context of the nursery school and project
03:00 – Factors to consider when building a curriculum
04:00 – Termly revisiting the curriculum
07:00 – Adapting the curriculum constantly
09:00 – What do we want children to achieve?
13:40 – Characteristics of effective learning and 'learning behaviours'
15:55 – Co- and self-regulation in the curriculum
16:55– Resources to support self-regulation
20:25 – Active mindfulness techniques for children
22:25 – Reducing the discomfort around staff mental health
27:55 – Making links to the behaviour policy
29:25 – Advice and resources for parents and families
30:55 – Are colours helpful for identifying emotions?
35:55 – Impacts beyond the curriculum in the setting
38:15 – Continuing work of the Durham curriculum project
For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com
