Play: Learning and assessment
Play helps young children to develop by actively doing and talking. Research has long shown this to be the means by which children learn to think. We use the practice guidance for the EYFS to plan and provide a range of play activities both inside and outside of the classroom which help children make progress in each of the 7 areas of learning.
In some of these activities the children decide how they will use it, while in others adults will take the lead in helping to guide the children through it - the adult is therefore scaffolding their learning and moving them on to the next stage. Every activity is purposely planned for and informed by previous observations of children's abilities and interests.
We assess how young children are learning and developing through daily observations. We use information that we gain from observations, photographs and notes to document each child's progress and decide where this may be leading them. We believe that parents know their children best and ask them to contribute to the observations, sharing information about the child's development and interests at home. Wow forms can be used to share achievements and special times at home.
We make periodic assessment summaries of children's achievements based on our ongoing developmental records. These form part of the children's records of achievement or learning journey and are summarised at the end of each term and on transition to reception class against Early Years Outcomes.
"Play is the work of the child"
-Maria Montessori
"When children pretend, they're using their imaginations to move beyond the bounds of reality. A stick can be a magic wand. A sock can be a puppet. A small child can be a superhero."
-Fred Rogers