Little Learners - Wonder, Inspire, Discover
Wonder, Inspire, Discover
Children have an innate ability to want to ask questions, be curious and explore new concepts. Our 'Wonder', 'Inspire', 'Discover' programme develops these natural curiosities. At Aberdour, we are fortunate to have the wonderful natural environment, including outdoor gardens, fields and the school's woodland. Every week, the children either visit the woods for ‘Woodland Wonder’, take part in 'Inspire', which is linked to expressive arts, or participate in 'Discover'; unearthing new things and exploring self-discovery.
Wonder
‘Wonder’ sessions take place in our beautiful woodland, where the children will explore the natural world and elements of the Science curriculum. During Woodland Wonder, the children embark upon minibeast hunts, observe seasonal changes, cook in the woodland kitchen, take part in campfire experiences and enjoy den building.
The children also learn about looking after the world around us – creating bug hotels, hedgehog houses, bird feeders and nests.
Through discovering our natural world, the children become more familiar with environmental sounds and natural change, the curriculum is brought to life using the woodland as a backdrop, re-enacting stories such as, ‘We’re going on a Bear hunt’ and ‘The Gruffalo’!
Our mini-allotment provides a rich learning environment that engages the children in the wider world by fostering a connection to nature, promoting environmental awareness, and encouraging social interaction and community engagement.
Inspire
The children in Reception enjoy a variety of expressive arts activities such as:
Yoga and Mindfulness - inspired by Self-Awareness
Music, Theatre and Ballet - inspired by Performing Arts
The Atelier - inspired by Art and Design
The Bakery - inspired by Food
French - inspired by Culture and Languages
Discover
‘Discover’ sessions will provide the children with the opportunity to find out about Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. They will ‘discover’ how things work, investigate and find answers to their own questions; encouraging the children to participate in unearthing new things and exploring self-discovery. Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths are skills that are increasingly important in preparing children for a life long education. Young children have a natural disposition towards Science with their sense of curiosity and creativity. Our STEM curriculum gives our pupils the tools and methods to explore new and creative ways of problem solving, innovating and discovering. Teaching is also enhanced through iPads and virtual and augmented reality.
House of Little Explorers:
Discover - Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths
Discover - Language and Literacy
Discover - The World
Turret Learning
The Atelier
Our Artists Workshop; a place where the children’s imagination can flourish as they create, design and build using natural materials such as, clay, wood and cork.
The Bakery
Where our little learners become budding chefs. Our small-group cookery school allows children to plan, taste and execute a range of baked goods; children have great fun selecting, measuring, pouring and mixing ingredients to make delicious seasonal treats.
The House of Little Explorers
Slide into our world of Engineering. A place where the children can plan, design and engineer two and three dimensional models. Our bespoke Engineering curriculum, together with our Lego-wall, enables children to create their own inventions, whilst developing their creativity, reasoning and problem solving skills.
Young PAL:
A Personal Curriculum
Many studies have shown that children learn more effectively when adults engage them in activities that are based on their interests. Once we take a closer look at what captures children's attention, and find ways to join them in their interests, we can interact with them in ways that build upon their communication skills. The children are exposed to an environment that immerses them in a personalised learning experience, that is meaningful to them as individuals. These rich learning experiences leave the children with the desire to find out more, creating children who are well versed in reflection and analysis, inference and explanation and problem solving and decision making.
Linked to Young PAL is our Aspirational Development programme. Children become mini-entrepreneurs, take part in careers taster sessions through our 'University of Life' programme, and attend a Pre-Prep 'Freshers Fair' linked to their interests, providing children with the opportunity to find out more about what inspires them!
Delving deeper: Phonics & Writing
Phonics
In Pre-Prep, the children's imagination and excitement for phonics is gained through the fun and interactive 'StoryTime Phonics Scheme'. StoryTime Phonics fosters a love of books and contextualises the learning of phonics in order to teach it in a way that children will remember and enjoy.
During each phonics session, the children will go on a magical learning journey through the Enchanted Forest. First stopping at the Phonic Fairy toadstool to retrieve the phonic sound of the day. They will then tiptoe through the Tricky Troll cave to read and learn sight words. After taking a dip in the Letter Formation Lagoon they will cross the Blending Bridge and Segmenting Stepping Stones to sound out and build words.
The children will have lots of fun developing their phonic skills they need to become lifelong confident readers and writers!
In Pre-Prep we equip our children with a love of all asects of English. Through our teaching, we develop the abilities of all children, promoting high standards of speech, reading and writing. Children are encouraged to enjoy and develop a keen attitude to learning. We strive to provide a language rich environment, which promotes a culture of speaking, reading and writing, both inside and outside.
Writing
Although many children acquire reading skills at an early age, writing can often take a little longer to develop. Practitioners constantly model writing to raise children’s awareness of print. We believe it is vital to instil in the children, a firm perception of themselves as a ‘writer’. Initially this is done through the use of phonics, whereby children are able to hear sounds in words (phonemes) and break them down and write the corresponding letters (graphemes). This gives children a great sense of achievement. The next step is to teach the spelling of common exception words which are words that cannot be sounded out phonetically, with the help of our tricky troll.
We have an abundance of wonderful cross curricular opportunities to inspire pupils through high quality reading texts with language-rich vocabulary. We strive to develop children's language through providing them with hands on experiences and use real life experiences, often using our wonderful outdoor area as a stimulus. We use high quality, key texts to allow children to access all of the skills needed to write well and provide children with purposeful, meaningful writing opportunities. We use Drawing Club as a tool to bring writing to life.
Drawing Club is a true adventure based around the magic world of tales and animations. It involves a short session as a whole class, followed by focussed time with children in small groups, exploring their ideas and creativity, enriching their language skills and developing their fine motor abilities. This approach immerses the children into a world full of imagination, the progress children make through Drawing Club across all areas of development is exceptional.
Children are given many opportunities for independent writing, both within focus group sessions and through cross curricular learning. Children initially learn how to hold a pencil and sit correctly, so that they can begin to form letters, words and sentences in line with our phonics teaching. These early stages are achieved through daily fine motor activities and finger gym!
Alongside this, the children are taught how to construct a sentence orally and develop it before writing it down. If they can not say it, they will not be able to write it! In order to achieve this, children are supported in using role play, as well as incorporating opportunities for the children to explain their ideas and thinking. As the children progress through from the Early Years Curriculum and Key Stage 1, the complexity of both the sentence construction and the spelling increases.
Delving deeper: Maths
Our Maths Mastery approach, where mathematical language such as ‘part whole’, ‘systematic’ and ‘prove it’ are all part of their everyday learning, is very much embedded into the curriculum.
When learning each mathematical concept, the children are initially taught using practical, concrete apparatus. They physically experience partitioning into tens and ones, counting on and halving. This forms the basis of their understanding and is an essential part of deepening their knowledge. From there, we move on to experiencing each concept in the pictorial sense. Here the children are encouraged to draw counters or dienes to show that they have a secure picture of the concept. As the children’s understanding becomes embedded, we move onto more abstract learning, where the children then evidence all of their previous understanding using number sentences, bar models and part wholes. Throughout the process we continue to ask the children to explain ‘why?’ or ‘how?’ they know something, and to explain their thinking. We discourage answers such as, ‘I just know’, as this indicates that the children have a rote knowledge of a concept, rather than a true understanding.
As an example, in Reception, the children learn each number in a thorough and detailed way. This may start with them counting out 5 toys or objects from their environment, or noticing five items that are similar. As counting becomes secure the children will then draw their own five objects or counters, for example, 5 buttons on a gingerbread man or 5 eggs in a nest. Through this process the children will learn the quantitative nature of the number '5' and so have a good understanding of what this is. As we label that quantity ‘5’ and teach the children this symbol, they also begin learning that ‘5’ has a value in parts, as in 4 and 1, 2 and 3, and that we know this value because we have sorted and grouped this number ‘5’ practically, pictorially and finally, abstractly.
As an example, in Year 1, the children learn to count on from a number as an addition strategy. As we begin learning this strategy, they are taught using counters or their fingers to hold that first number in their head, and then count on the next smaller number. They will get many opportunities to do this to ensure that they are secure in the process. As their fluency in this becomes more secure, we then use pictures and a variety of contexts to embed their knowledge. This may be that they complete ‘part wholes’ or ‘tens frames’, drawing in their counters or numbers into these models. As they do this, they begin to notice the patterns that can be seen in using their bonds to add, providing the link to previously learnt concepts, and so deepening their understanding. As a final development of their understanding the children will be given problem solving opportunities, using their understanding to explain or prove or find mistakes. In this way, their own misconceptions can be discussed and the children’s understanding can be consolidated.
Reasoning
The function of Reasoning Challenges is to develop core cognitive skills, including logic and reasoning, visual memory, short/long term memory and processing speed of the brain.
With developed cognitive skills, children can process new information as they learn and have a deeper understanding of alternative perspectives by identifying relationships and similarities and differences between subjects being presented, due to their enhanced thinking abilities.
In Reception, in addition to discreet teaching, Reasoning is also embedded throughout the curriculum to ensure the development of the Characteristics of Effective Learning.
Our Outside Classroom
Every age phase has their very own dedicated outdoor classroom. Not only does this enable children to take there learning outside, but also gives them the flexibility to approach learning in new and different ways. Our loose parts area allows children to develop their critical thinking skills by thinking 'outside the box'. The children can approach Maths and Writing challenges on a larger scale, and also experience imaginative play in the elements. The sensory spaces we create (dens, sensory caves, mini gardens, sensory kitchen) enable children to immerse themselves in multifaceted experiences and promote imagination, whilst natural resources and materials enable children to design, create and build.
Supporting Positive Behaviour: A Growth Mindset
In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hardwork - brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. In Pre-Prep, we draw upon the characteristics of effective learning, which encourage children to, amongst other things, have a go, persevere and be curious. Hard work is praised and qualities such as perseverance, concentration, creativity and curiosity are recognised using our Rainbow Reward characters (see below).
Rainbow Champions
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is about being aware and awake in the present moment. The focus is brought to the thoughts and feelings you are experiencing in the 'now'. Here at Aberdour, mindful practise is part of the daily routine to support pupil’s emotional wellbeing and help them focus. We believe that it is fundamentally important to address, not only the academic education, but also the emotional wellbeing of each pupil. We understand that emotional wellbeing is a necessary prerequisite for higher cognitive learning.
With children, the goal of mindfulness is to help them move beyond thoughts of the past or future that may be draining, negative, or worrisome. Instead, it's giving them the tools they need to connect with what is going on in their world at the present moment. It is also about empowering children to accept their current thoughts and feelings and to form healthy habits for coping with all the varying emotions they may have.
Mindfulness can help children to increase happiness, decrease anxiety and live in the moment. We promote and teach mindfulness to the children through a variety of techniques and activities, including weekly yoga sessions, which provide a number of benefits to the children, such as helping them to manage their anxiety, boosting self-esteem and developing their strength and flexibility.
Being aware of body sensations is a great way for children to explore mindfulness. Through our regular relaxation and mindfulness sessions, the children practise focusing on sensations that are immediately brought into their awareness. A calm, relaxing environment is created, while pupils are asked to close their eyes and sit or lie still. The children are guided through the session, encouraged to move their awareness from one part of their body to another, paying attention to their breathing.
Regular mindful colouring sessions, as well as being thoroughly enjoyable, help the children increase their awareness of the world around them and their place in it. By taking the time to carefully move from one pattern to the next, the children are distracted from any worries or anxieties, their mood is lifted and sense of calm created. Children have the opportunity to create calm jars, which they refer to when necessary, and a worry eater in each of our rooms enables children to write down their worries and post them into the monsters mouth.
Cosmic kids and New Horizon offer some useful mindfulness ideas that can be used both within school and at home.
Sport
- At Aberdour our pupils enjoy incredible facilities and a very active programme of Sports. It is essential for their health, well-being and to their learning. Children need to find time in their day to burn off excess energy at home.
- Children have weekly PE slots on their timetable and often do a ‘wake and shake’ or ‘yoga’ session with their teachers. The children also have the benefit from a weekly swimming lesson in our on-site heated pool.