Here at Holy Corner we understand that the best way for children to learn is to keep them interested and motivated – with a close eye kept on helping each child to take the next step.
There is free flow access across indoors and outdoors throughout the morning, offering a broad range of learning opportunities to inspire creativity and wonder. The environment is set up each morning with a basic format in which the content changes and refreshes daily in line with the children's interests. Free play is a time when children choose what they do that is most relevant to them in recognition of their self-knowledge and need for autonomy in play-based learning, to develop their imagination and understanding of the world around them. Practitioners' role is to observe and facilitate as needed, providing quality interactions and experiences. There is no pressure for children to join the structured activities in the session, such as yoga, and Practitioners will always support individual children as part of an inclusive community.
08.55 – 9.30am: Welcome the children / Free play / Story corner
09.30 – 10.00am: Free play
10.00 – 10.10am: Yoga
10.10 – 11.00am: Rolling snack
11.00 – 11.45am: Free play
11.45 – 11.55am: All adults begin tidying up
11.55 – 12.10pm: Tidy up song (Children and adults tidy up)
12.10 – 12.20pm: End of the day gathering on the rug: songs / movement / music /dance / storytelling
12.20pm: Home time
Friday follows a similar pattern but we have a shorter day, finishing at 11.35am.
The learning environment for free play time is across both indoors and outdoors, with spaces and resources including:
- Indoor play room: art and crafts, baking, home corner, role play, theme-related, small world, STEAM, physical activity (including a slide, trikes and bikes, and balance beams) dens, sensory play
- Outdoor: sand, water and other loose sensory materials, imaginative and exploratory play, gardening and investigating mini-beasts, loose parts, construction, mark making, outside kitchen, dens