E3L – Excite, Explore Express!

Our E3L curriculum was recognised as engaging and ambitious by Ofsted and is a result of collaboration with schools and settings across the Trust.

Through E3L we provide all our children with a range of rich and meaningful first-hand experiences using inspiring themes that Excite, encourage children to Explore beyond expectations and elicit effective and enjoyable ways to communicate and Express themselves.  

Curriculum Philosophy and Planning

At First Steps Nursery & Pre-School, we aim to equip children with the skills and knowledge they need to explore and understand the world around them

We believe that children grow and develop when they have access to a well thought out learning environment and engaging adults. Learning takes place in all our quality environments both indoors and out. Learning will be led by an adult or child initiated and will take place throughout the day… even when we wash our hands or eat our snack there are things to learn!

Children’s language development is fundamental and at the centre of all our planning, as we believe language development is vital and a key thread across all the seven areas of learning.

At First Steps Nursery & Pre-School, we aim to equip children with the skills and knowledge they need to explore and understand the world around them.

We believe that children grow and develop when they have access to a well thought out learning environment and engaging adults. Learning takes place in all our quality environments both indoors and out. Learning will be led by an adult or child initiated and will take place throughout the day… even when we wash our hands or eat our snack there are things to learn!

Children’s language development is fundamental and at the centre of all our planning, as we believe language development is vital and a key thread across all the seven areas of learning.

 

Prime areas of learning:

  • Personal, social and emotional development
  • Communication and language development
  • Physical development

Specific areas of learning:

  • Literacy
  • Mathematics
  • Understanding the world
  • Expressive arts and design

 

In planning for children, we consider the different ways in which they learn and continuously help them establish behaviours that support them in becoming little learners. The three characteristics of effective learning are:

  • Playing and exploring
  • Active learning
  • Creating and thinking critically