K2D5 – Why it is important to help children make choices and how you can assist them to do this.

K2C6 – The key features of effective communication and why it is important to model this when interacting with adults and children.

K2C7 – The main differences between communicating with adults and communicating with children.

Survey:-

Why do you think Lisa felt it was important for the younger children to be included in the survey?

• Part of the school.
• Have their say.
• Responsibility.
• Independence and confidence.
• Sense of belonging and pride in their school.
• Views are being listened to.
• Look after the new area or equipment (respect it).
• Choice of menu they will eat the food provided.
• Dietary needs and healthy options.

What would have been the main difference in those questions for the adults, those for the older children and those for the younger ones?

Adult:

• The wording in the survey.
• Voting box and or tick list.
• Feedback slip and or area for relevant comments.
• Covering letter to adults of the importance of the survey and date of when you required answers back.
• Meeting to discuss the survey in detail.

Older:

• Competition to design a new menu or new outside area (use as a teaching tool).
• Voting box and or tick list.
• Ensure wording within age range capabilities.
• Discuss in group time for input and ideas.

Younger:

• Make the survey fun.
• Use tools or make it into a game.
• Ensure the children understand what was being asked of them.
• Broken down questions to age range capabilities.
• Discuss ideas in group time, take a vote.

How do you find out the views and opinions of the children in your setting?

• I would ask what they liked or disliked about their school.
• I would observe the children to see what activity was used the most and for how long.
• I would use tools such as smiley faces for voting or camera for taking pictures of what they liked best or disliked within the school.
• Group discussions to express ideas and views.

K2C13 – The importance of communicating positively with children and families.

How do we keep the line of communication open with children’s families in a positive way?

• News letters.
• Parent evenings.
• Curriculum evenings and welcome pack.
• Verbally.
• Surveys.
• Website of school.
• Governors meetings.
• Passing over information at the beginning and end to day.
• Home link book or record book.
• Home / school agreement.
• Open days.
• Parent teacher association news letters, meetings and events.
• Parent helpers.
• Staff meetings.
• Notice board.
• Displays of children’s work.
• Special occasions such as fetes, assemblies etc.
• Additional parent / teacher meetings if required.

K2C8 – How to demonstrate that you value adults’ views and opinions and why it is important to the development of positive relationships.

How do you demonstrate that you value the views and opinions of the adults with whom you work with?

• Use positive body language.
• Respect views, listen carefully and respond in a manner which demonstrates that you have understood them.
• Always give your full attention and reflect on what they are doing or saying, including what you are doing or saying.
• Clarify any misunderstandings have discussions.
• Do not put others down and avoid being personal.
• Ask for advice and for others opinions.
• Always exchange information and ideas openly.
• Demonstrate courtesy and respect when communicating.
• Always be constructive do not criticize.

(Can cross reference with Unit 201, knowledge number K2C6).

Why is communication important?

Communication is an important way in which we express our views, understanding and feelings.  We can share and exchange information and ideas through the communication process by being able to convey our meaning and being able to understand and interpret others.

Communication, in all its forms is a fundamental skill that you need to enable you to take an active part in family life, school, employment and social activities.

Developing effective communication skills will also enhance your creativity, social and emotional skills.

K2D68 – The way children’s needs change as they develop and how to make the environment appropriate to the ages and stages of development of the children.

How to make the environment appropriate to the ages and stages of children’s development?

Consider the different types of equipment, activities and how the environment needs to be adapted as children grow.

K2D72 – How to display objects in a stimulating and interesting way for children.

K2D74 – How the values and principles of the sector can be reflected in the environment.

How we display within your setting?

• On Display boards in the main corridors of the school.
• Photographs.
• Display tables in the main corridors of the school.
• On the classroom’s walls.
• Themed displays of projects/topics.
• On a washing line across the classrooms.

How do you make the displays interesting and stimulating within your setting?

• Mounting work on brightly coloured paper.
• Naming and labelling work either with bold print or children’s own hand writing.
• Making the display bold using varied textures.
• Using brightly coloured backing paper on wall mounts.
• Using themed work together in the display.
• Using different mediums such as fabric, play dough, cardboard models and everyday items as props.
• Ensure all displays are neat.
• Use stencils and have bold headings.
• Laminate finished work.
• Use visual displays.

Dietary needs/allergies:-

• Ensure that the school has considered the needs of food-allergic children and has developed appropriate procedures.
• Ensure that affected children are not unknowingly exposed to food allergens like nuts and seeds during schools hours.
• The school must extend these procedures to breakfast and after school clubs and any trips organised by the school.
• The school must consider the needs of food-allergic children when teaching the Food Technology.
• Ensure the school has close contact with parents to understand what could trigger the allergic reaction, severity of reaction, daily management and emergencies procedures ensuring that you have accurate records.
• Ensure that all fully trained members of staff are aware of where the child’s medication is kept in case of emergencies.
• Ensure all members of staff are aware of the food groups that can cause allergic reactions such as Wheat, Rye, Barley, crabs, Prawn, lobster, Fish, Peanuts, eggs, milk, tree nuts, strawberries and kiwi fruit etc.
• All staff must be confident in having the knowledge and skills to care for food-allergic children.
• The school must have adequate insurance.

The school must also take into account special dietary needs of children from different cultures, religions, backgrounds or illness that required certain food types.

• Working closely with parents and having accurate records.
• The school must consider the needs of children with special dietary requirements when teaching Food Technology.

All members of staff should be aware and fully trained of dietary needs especially of those children with illnesses such as diabetes, celiac, lactose intolerant etc.

Aspects of children’s development

K2D43 - The Importance Of Play

Why is the role of play important in development?

• Improves language and communication skills extending vocabulary.
• Produces outcomes such as sharing, taking turns and cooperation.
• Improves hand to eye co-ordination.
• Improves eye to foot co-ordination in physical play.
• Develops self confidence and self esteem.
• Reinforces early reading skills.
• Develops interaction and socialising skills.
• Learning through new experiences.
• Extends creative and imaginative development.
• Children become more independent.

What types of play do you provide for the children in your setting?

• Role play (home corner).
• Dressing up.
• Cooking.
• Painting, drawing, modelling and sticking.
• Outdoor physical play, climbing, stepping stones, crates, barrels, Wendy house, hoops, sand pit, gardening, balls and bikes.
• Water play.
• Puzzles.
• Dancing, singing and rhyming.
• Bricks, mobilo construction cubes and lego.
• Trains and tracks, cars and garages.
• Animals and logs.
• Dolls house.
• Play loft.
• Story books and audio books.
• Simple computer programmes.

How do you ensure that your setting provides the different types of play?

• By ensuring that the correct supervision is in place.
• Creating different activities for children to free play that would involve minimal adult intervention.
• Having structured play by controlling the resources available and participating in the play.

What may you have to take into consideration?

• Ensuring they have age related games.
• Any special needs.
• Safety of the children.
• Abilities of the children.
• Individual child’s needs.
• Expectation of the activities.

How do you do this?

• Planning daily activities.
• Planning themed topics.
• Safety and supervision of children.

K2C1 – The importance of giving children full attention when listening to them and how you demonstrate this through body language, facial expression, speech and gesture.

Why is it important to give children your full attention when listening to them?

• It will build the child or children’s confidence and self esteem.
• Helps develop child or children’s independence.
• Helps child or children to develop their understanding of others.
• Gives a child or children a feeling of belonging.
• Demonstrates that you respect their views, opinions and how they are feeling.
• Gives reassurance and a feeling of safety, encouraging them to ask for help if required.
• Gives them their voices.
• Demonstrates that you show an interest in their ideas and actions.
• Helps to develop their own listening and speaking skills contributing to sharing, negotiating and giving suggestions in their play.
• Helps develop children’s own creativity, social and emotional skills.

K2D59 – Ways in which the physical environment in which you work meets the children’s physical, social, emotional, language and intellectual needs and takes into account their different genders, cultures and ethnicity, needs and abilities.

How to create a setting that supports children?

Write a brief description of how you achieve the following within your setting.

Divide the setting into areas so that children can experience a variety of activities.

• 1. Messy area which includes painting table, water play, Gluing, sticking, modelling and play dough table.
  2. Reading area.
  3. ICT area.
  4. Home corner.
  5. Puzzle and game table/snack table.
  6. Drawing and cutting table.
  7. Group area for story time, show and tell, singing etc.
  8. Kitchen area.
  9. Loft.

• Provide space between the activities for children and adults to move freely.

• 1. All areas within the setting have adequate space between for access.

• Carefully place activities to promote development.

• 1. Home corner area, promotes communication, negotiation, sharing and socialising skills.
  2. Messy area develops hand to eye co-ordination, fine motor skills, mathematics in water play, creative, communication and personal and social development.
  3. Reading area develops communication, literacy, concentrating and listening skills.
  4. ICT area promotes language and literacy skills, mathematics, fine motor skills in dragging and clicking the mouse, sharing, socialising skills, concentrating and listening to instructions.
  5. Loft area helps develop physical skills.

• Ensure access areas are clear.

• 1. All equipment is safely stored in correct cupboards etc.
  2. All chairs are pushed under tables or stacked away.
  3. All children help to tidy away toys in correct storage boxes or cupboards at ‘tidy up time’.
  4. All fire exits are clear.

• Encourage independence.

• 1. All children are encouraged to hang their own coats up and to try and put their coats on by themselves.
  2. All children are encouraged to go to the toilet and wash their hands by themselves.
  3. Outside area to explore new physical skills such as climbing, riding a bike etc.

• Ensure surfaces are safe and washable.

• 1. All snack tables have wipe down table cloths.
  2. Messy area has mop for any spillages.
  3. Separate mop for cleaning toilet area.

• Celebrate diversity.

• 1. Celebrate different themes such as Easter, Christmas, diwali and hindu festivals, Chinese new year and may day etc.
  2. Planning activities, books and crafts.
  3. Children’s show and tell group times.

• Ensure areas for display are visible and accessible to all the children.

1. Displays of children’s finished work within nursery and main school’s corridors.
2. Toys set up and arranged or planned activity such as painting, all equipment out ready for use.

• Provide opportunities for a link between home and the setting i.e. a home corner.

1. Home corner which includes ovens, kitchen equipment, washing machine, food, tea set and table, ironing board and clothes, baby dolls and cot etc.
2. Kitchen area to make and try different foods (normally to take home after session).
3. Rugs and soft chairs.
4. Dressing up clothes.

• Ensure the outdoor environment is an extension of the indoors, i.e. painting, stories, etc, can be conducted outside.

1. Large sand pit.
2. Water play area.
3. Toys include cars and garages, construction toys such as lego, mobilo etc.
4. Chalks for chalking on the concrete.
5. Dressing up clothes such as helmets, doctors kit etc.
6. Painting area.

• Ensure outdoor surfaces are safe and varied.

1. Risk assessments in place including children to adult ratio.
2. Regular safety checks.
3. Appropriate age related equipment and toys.
4. Soft padded area for boisterous play.
5. Sheltered area for different weather conditions.

• Provide safe paths for bikes, etc, as well as visible areas for children to play quietly.

1. Safe paths for bikes and designated area for cycling.
2. Sand pit area.
3. Carpet area for construction toys etc.
4. Wendy house.
5. Designated area for climbing.
6. Area for water play.
7. Garden area for digging and planting.

Accessible: all children, regardless of any special needs, can use the environment.  This means that a disability or special need does not prevent them from benefiting.