British Values in Early Years

British Values: intrinsically interwoven through the EYFS and requires no real additional planning. Nevertheless a current hot potato and tangible 'evidence' of it's implementation is required by the powers that be.  So let's have a go at applying them to our ever popular Mud Kitchens.  I have uploaded 5 slides which I prepared for a conference recently - enjoy. 

Key Stage 1 Science Curriculum and Outdoor Education

Hand in Hand they sit together.

Let's take a look at what our Early Years settings are preparing children for at KS1.

"The principal focus of science teaching in key stage 1 is to enable pupils to experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly constructed world around them."  

"They should be encouraged to be curious and ask questions about what they notice. They should be helped to develop their understanding of scientific ideas by using different types of scientific enquiry to answer their own questions, including observing changes over a period of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative tests, and finding things out using secondary sources of information. Most of the learning about science should be done through the use of first-hand practical experiences."

Early Years outdoor education is an excellent vessel in preparing children for their next stage of learning (KS1).  I don't recall such a time when the National Curriculum criteria and outdoor provision were this symbiotic. It is a welcome declaration from Ofsted that improving teaching and learning involves the great outdoors.

There appears to be a surge of Early Years and Primary outdoor provision and not without good reason; children learn better when they are free from the confines of a room.  I don't stand against classrooms indeed I  have seen and worked in some epic classrooms!  

However outdoors is the place to be where ever and whenever possible.

Getting children school ready is an important element of Early Years. Parents who can place their children in outdoor early learning environments are not only allowing 
their child myriads of physical benefits they are giving their child a heads up 
on the KS1 curriculum.   

Food for thought.

Potions and Water Stations

Mixing Potions

Is it educational?

Whether it's the twinkle of a shiny bottle containing alluring coloured liquids or the disgusting slop that only top class mud can provide, our youngsters love a good old mix up, this we know.

Take some transparent vessels such as jugs, bottles, jars, add a funnel and a pipette, introduce a little food colouring and point children towards your water station.  I guarantee it will be irresistible to them. They instantly become mad professors, crazy scientists or students of Harry Potter wizardry.  Children and water are just a match made in Heaven.

Back to my question ‘is it educational?’ Well the simple answer is yes, everything is educational, the real question should be ‘is it good education?’

Stand back, observe and your answer will stare you in the face, or splash you in the face! With very little effort you have just created one amazing enabling environment and established a place where the 3 prime areas of development can flow.

Just listen to the gorgeous words being used

Just watch the fine and gross motor skills being practiced

Observe the Science investigations

See the Imagination running wild

Listen to the recipes being discussed

The level of independent thinking is awesome

Collaboration between friends or fellow wizards is marvelous

All of that and careful measuring, pouring, mixing, squeezing, stirring, dripping, has got to amount to good education, or as the books tell us we have created the characteristics of effective learning – well done, wasn’t it easy?

Just one more thing, move this activity on to include writing recipes for potions as well as using numbered jars are sure ways to get those specific areas covered too.

The only difficulty I have had with kind of learning is that I want a turn!

Feed the birds, tuppence a bag...

Is there ever a better way to develop empathy than through seeing hungry birds take the food you have given them.

Children innately love nature and and possess a growing desire to nurture.  

Feeding and watching out for birds builds up our understanding of nature as well as introducing the awe and wonder of our great British seasons.

Bread and Children

No bakery needed.

Does the context of real life get any better than baking your own bread?  Smelling it cook and eating it whilst it’s warm, didn't think so.

Now on to the rant...

A growing number of little people have no idea where food comes from other than the supermarket or the delivery van. We need to rescue our children from this modern lie and quickly.

When children are introduced to the DNA of  food they instantly take an interest in what they eat. As children begin to understand the concept of field to fork, their awareness heightens and they just want to know more, because that's their very nature.

We can't do it all in a day, but today we can start with bread. 

Begin by introducing some wheat and let the little people crush it using a pestle and mortar or between two rocks. Viola, flour!  (Fabulous link with the Little Red Hen story too).

I prefer Damper bread  as it is so easy to make, no yeast needed and the we can cook it outdoors on open fires - delicious. 

Looking at the skills involved in bread making I don't believe  there is one area from the 7 areas  of learning and development which are not covered within the scope of this activity.  

What do you think? Listening, speaking, thinking, following instruction, measuring, pouring, lifting, mixing, kneading, pounding,  blending, rolling, patting, tearing and eventually sharing!  It's also a fine and gross motor skill party.

See, simple bread making has got the lot.

Enjoy.