Equality of Opportunity
At Little Acorns we treat children fairly regardless of their race, culture, religion or abilities, without prejudice or discrimination. We aim to provide positive role models acknowledging children’s individuality, recognising differences in line with the Equality Act 2010.
We strive to give our children the opportunity to reach their full potential and to grow in independence and confidence by providing quality and consistency, so that each child makes good progress and no child gets left behind. Each child is unique and in meeting their individual needs it may mean that we adapt our provision to help some children to access the opportunities, whilst with others we deepen and extend their experiences.
We strive to give our children the opportunity to reach their full potential and to grow in independence and confidence by providing quality and consistency, so that each child makes good progress and no child gets left behind. Each child is unique and in meeting their individual needs it may mean that we adapt our provision to help some children to access the opportunities, whilst with others we deepen and extend their experiences.
This applies no matter what they think or say; what type of family they come from; what language they speak; what their parents do; whether they are boys or girls or whether they have a disability.
|
At Little Acorns we aim to work in close partnership with our families. This starts with gathering information with you about your child. This will help us to plan carefully for their needs from the earliest opportunity. We will share with you the progress that your child has made whilst also celebrating the achievements, milestones and discoveries that your child has made along their journey. This way you can be involved in their enjoyment of learning and discovery. We will give you opportunities to see your child’s Learning Journey and talk about their progress, and through ‘My Daily Book’ you will be able to see accounts of ‘Wow moments’ and daily events unique to your child. You can contribute to this record too with your observations. On our Facebook page you will be able to see some of the general activities that we have done at Little Acorns through the year, and other useful information about child development and our practice.
|
|
We will also keep in contact with our parents and carers through texts, emails and messenger where appropriate, sharing fascinating insights into your child’s day and generally keeping up to date with you.
Our environment is an enabling one and our provision is personalised wherever possible to meet your child’s unique profile of development. We will use observations and notes through the day to track your child’s engagement; we will use these notes to inform our future planning and provision within the 7 areas of learning. We will also focus on the characteristics of being an effective learner, the skills children need in order to be an independent, curious and engaging learner.
The provision is both indoors and outside and we recommend that you bear this in mind when you are thinking about clothes and footwear. Clothing needs to help children to participate confidently and not hamper or worry them. Our provision will involve a lot of playing, inventing, doing, making and exploring outdoors, in the garden or in the woods. Indoors we have space for ‘messy play’, like painting, dough and making. We also have quieter areas where children can explore small world toys, a dolls house, play mats, puzzles, books and puppets.
|
Outside there is water and sand play, along with tables for outdoor painting and natural world activities. We have shallow ponds in barrels and sinks where we encourage children to explore water creatures, pond life and plants. They are raised, narrow and safely full of plants and branches and risk assessed!
|
|
We have our own woodlands at the end of our garden, and here we can explore Forest School activities like den building, mud kitchen, bug hunting, leaf collecting and exploratory imaginative play.
Dave O’Kane is a fully qualified Forest School Practitioner and will be assisting us with these activities. We will inform you when we are doing this so that you can be prepared with extra / spare clothes! We can provide ‘All-In-Ones’ and have a small selection of wellie boots, but you can provide your own. (Please look at our Early Years and Foundation Stage part of our website so that you can see what each learning area might look like at Little Acorns.) |
|
Sometimes children need some extra support to help them to develop and access learning in an adapted way. Through partnership and co-production, we will plan how to best meet their needs. For example, we might use a visual timetable with visual prompts which help children to organise and sequence their day. We might use reward charts and social stories to explain an event or prepare for a change in a routine. We will use routine and some structure through the day to help children to feel secure during the day’s activities, whilst at the same time we will capture any opportunity to learn, self-initiate, self-select, explore and have fun.
|
|
If you have a concern about your child’s development, progress or needs, please make an appointment to talk to Mel who is responsible for our Special Needs Provision. You might like to make this request in your child’s ‘My Daily Book’, or text/message us. It might mean that we need to seek some advice about how we manage a specific need and work alongside other agencies, for example a speech and language therapist or health visitor.
|
|
We ensure that our provision and care is built on clear values and principles, such as respect, acceptance, tolerance and forgiveness. We will demonstrate these values in action during the day and enable the children to demonstrate these values towards each other too.
|
All children in our care are given the opportunity to play with all of the toys (subject to health and safety with children under 3 years of age). No toys or games are ‘just for girls’ or ‘just for boys’; they are for all children, enabling them to develop the caring, respectful, curious, imaginative and inventive skills necessary to grow into effective learners.
|
|
The toys and prompts that we use reflect positive images of our diverse and inclusive world, recognising differences and celebrating similarities of many faiths and cultures. We encourage the children to learn about and celebrate their own culture and faith whilst learning about the culture and faith of other children. This could be through stories, dressing up, the sharing of food, cooking, puzzles and important festivals.
|
|
|
Through learning about each other we will build respect and acceptance that we are all to be valued and that we all make a unique contribution to our diverse community. We encourage parents and families to share with us their special festivals and occasions, language and traditions, enriching children’s learning and understanding.
|
If a child enjoys another language in addition to English it will be a good opportunity for others in the setting to hear and see their language. We will introduce children to words from other languages in the prompts we use around the setting – colours, numbers, the weather etc. We will support parents wherever we can to ensure that they receive information. Perhaps using Google Translate on our website will enable parents without English to engage with our activities and opportunities.
|
No child in our care will be discriminated against in anyway, whether for their skin colour, culture, gender, ability or faith. We will challenge any remarks or behaviour that we feel is inappropriate and we will build a dialogue with you so that you can support your child at home in the most positive way possible.
|
|
Date: December 2017
Signed: AOKane Date: 30.12.17
Signed: MOKane Date: 30.12.17
Signed: AOKane Date: 30.12.17
Signed: MOKane Date: 30.12.17