The Importance of Continuous Provision - CPD with @allaboutearlyyears

The Importance of Continuous Provision.

Written by - Hayley Winter @allaboutearlyyears

Hello, I’m Hayley, an Early Years leader within a growing primary school in Buckinghamshire. I have been working in education for 12 years and had many different roles during by time, from private day nurseries, 1:1 SEN TA, teaching assistant and becoming a teacher (just 2 years ago).

If any of you follow my Instagram @allaboutearlyyears you will know I am very new to my role as Early Years leader and taken over the foundation class just 3 weeks before lockdown happened here in the UK (I used to teach the nursery class which is joint on to our primary school). I am so passionate about Early Years education and learning through play and could not imagine myself doing anything else!!! I truly feel its been through reflecting on all my past roles & years in education which has made me the teacher I am today.

Before I get stuck in, I must add…Early Year teachers, nursery practitioners & provision-based classrooms are NOT ‘just playing all day’. We are not ‘just babysitting the children’. We are creating children who love to learn, we are caring & supporting the most precious people in your lives, so please think about this next time you say or hear comments like this. Stand up and explain what teachers and educators do, how passionate we are and most importantly how much we truly care for every child and family that we meet or have ever been in our classrooms.  

Personally, I have never taught a child and never thought about them again. I wonder where they are now. I wonder how they are getting on at school. I wonder how they did in the ballet performance they were practising for. I wonder if they are ok. I wonder how their family is. Every child I teach, stays in my heart and mind forever and I would not want it any other way.

What is continuous provision?

For me, continuous provision (often referred to as CP) is the resources and activities children can access in the absence of an adult independently. The provision allows children to make choices and initiate play without the interaction of an adult. It should enable children to demonstrate all 3 characteristics of effective learning where children are able to return to their explorations and consolidate their learning over a course of a day or more extended period.

However, I do not like the term ‘continuous provision’ within schools, and just like to use ‘provision’ instead. Why I hear you ask? Because if you were to see inside my classroom at any set time you will see adult led activities & interactions, challenges, independent learning (CP), small group times and enhanced learning all at once. This is provision to me – a mixture of all these styles of learning.

Why is CP important and what skills do children learn?

·         It allows children to think for themselves and explore their own learning,

·         To be independent and explore a broad range of play,

·         Provides children with the opportunity to take their ownership of their own learning/challenge,

·         Problem solving,

·         Develops concentration,

·         Supports children to make their own choices.

·         Sharing/ turn taking,

·         Listening,

·         Respect resources & each other’s ideas,

·         Build resilience and understand that making mistakes is ok,

·         As well as providing learning opportunities for all areas of the Early years curriculum such as: fine motor, mathematics, mark making, creative, language/ communication etc.

Role of the adult.

I could go on forever discussing this, but mainly our crucial role is to:

·         Observe,

·         Assess,

·         Reflect on learning (ours & the children’s),

·         Reflect on the set up of activities & classroom layout,

·         Facilitate,

·         Model,

·         Interact and play alongside,

·         Challenge,

·         And ask open-ended questions.

Provision gives the adult vital opportunities to build relationships with individuals and get to know them as a learner.

How do I plan for provision?

You want your children to be encouraged to explore, play, challenge themselves and be curious about the environment around them to enhance their own learning. Every school & nursery plan differently, so there is no right way or wrong way! You know what is best for your school & children and what works well so reflect and evaluate it then make changes if needed to improve it. But mainly look out for the children’s engagement of the activities and using high quality open-ended resources.

Most of all I want to create happy, confident, independent and resilient individuals who love of learning and continue to become life-long learners.

Follow up CPD I would recommend:

https://abcdoes.com/

https://www.eyfs4me.com/ Kerry is amazing for Early years CPD and runs #eylibrary and Instagram account @eyfs4me

Look up hashtags on Instagram such as #continousprovision for inspiration.

A big thank you to everyone who has taken your time to read this. If you would like to check out my Instagram, it’s @allaboutearlyyears