Learning through Play with our Continuous Provision

At Priestsic Primary and Nursery School, we know that children in the Early Years Foundation Stage learn best through play and exploration where they can experience learning for themselves. Through our continuous provision, our children get daily opportunities to be an artist, writer, mathematician, scientist, performer, architect, designer or storyteller and many more. From their play and experiences, our children are able to consolidate their skills, knowledge and understanding which enables them to be become independent and resilient learners, as well as develop a love for learning. Through our indoor and outdoor environments, children are busy and actively engaged in a wide range of activities that they themselves have chosen.

Our classroom environments are organised to promote and develop continuous provision and provide our children with opportunities to make their own choices, initiate their play and carry out their own ideas without interaction with an adult. In addition, the provision enables children to return to their previous learning to consolidate their skills and knowledge and build on it further.

Our resources are displayed on open shelves and units so children have free and easy access. The labelling supports children to be independent when tidying up by having silhouettes underneath containers and displaying photographs with words. In Foundation 2, the labelling reinforces children’s phonics skills with the use of sound buttons under words. In addition, it supports their maths skills as children must count to ensure the correct number of items are put back, some items are placed in size order and some are organised by shape. Reading and writing is promoted through all areas of provision to ensure that the children’s learning is purposeful.

During the school day, the children in EYFS are provided with time to learn through their play and access the continuous provision. The role of the adult during this time is to interact with the children to support, model, question, observe and challenge the children as necessary in order to move their learning on.

In Foundation 2, children have a weekly Rainbow Challenge to complete. Children are encouraged to independently access set activities each week in the continuous provision and by recording this either on paper or by taking a photograph or video on an iPad, they are rewarded with the corresponding lollipop stick in their pot and receive a treat activity on a Friday.

Below are some photographs of our children learning through their play in the continuous provision.