Developmental Curriculum2015

What

Our Developmental Curriculum is very basically about using play and a variety of activities to achieve our goals.

Why•To build a bridge between the preschool years and the early years of school.•To develop the children’s oral language.•For all children, particularly boys, to engage deeply and meaningfully with their learning environment.

Why•For children to learn that the skills of literacy and numeracy are meaningful and useful parts of everyday life.•For children to have more authentic opportunities to learn social skills, conflict resolution, problem-solving, decision-making and independence.

PlanningThe planning process is rigorous and extremely relevant and dynamic, ensuring that teachers are not only planning intentions for learning and development, but are also able to respond to the immediate needs, interests and strengths of the children.

The planning process is a two-stream approach,1. The teaching team identify learning and

development intentions each fortnight.2. The teacher responds to the spontaneous

moments of learning which emerge from the children during their Investigations.

Planning is based on a continuous cycle ofsetting intentions, observations and assessmentLinked to children’s interests and skills and thenfurther planning.

Successes•The children found the transition into school a lot easier because the play-based activities and structure mirrored what they were used to at Kinder.•The children got to know each other quicker because they were socialising with each other through play from day one. •Jenny and Jan kept a section of the wall between their rooms open to facilitate the range of activities and the development of the children’s relationships.•The children developed a relationship / rapport with the teachers by interacting with them through the various activities and taking turns to be the Focus Child.•The children developed responsibility for determining aspects of their learning, organising themselves and working either independently or in small groups.

SuccessesThe ‘Renfrew Language Scales, Action Picture Test’ was administered to all Prep children in February and again at the end of October to assess the children’s oral language growth.J05 found;•The average score for 'Information' rose from 26 in February to 36 in October.•The average score for 'Grammar' rose from 18 in February to 29 in October.•ALL children either maintained or scored more for 'Information' in October, some by up to 25.5 points. •All children either maintained or scored more for 'Grammar' in October, some by up to 17 points.

SuccessesJ06 found;•The average score for 'Information' rose from 24 in February to 35 in October.•The average score for 'Grammar' rose from 19 in February to 28 in October.•ALL children either maintained or scored more for 'Information' in October, some by up to 19 points. •ALL children scored more for 'Grammar' in October, some by up to 18 points.

SuccessesJ07 found;•The average score for 'Information' rose from 29 in February to 36 in October.•The average score for 'Grammar' rose from 23 in February to 29 in October.•ALL children either maintained or scored more for 'Information' in October, some by up to 13 points. •15/16 children scored more for 'Grammar' in October, some by up to 18 points.

Successes•Started to work with Parents and Friends & Buildings & Grounds to develop our outdoor space.

SuccessesWe used our Program Budget to purchase;•Puzzles•Wheelbarrows•Butterfly Nets•Watering Cans•Sand Play Equipment•Buckets•Gardening Equipment•Skipping Ropes•Bats & Balls•Hoops & small beanbags•Maths Equipment•Construction SetsAnd a variety of consummerable materials for collage / construction & small props for dramatic play.

Future•The Prep teachers will continue to work together as a Professional Learning Team to design, plan for and implement all facets of the Developmental Learning program. •The Year 1 teachers intend to introduce the Developmental Curriculum into their curriculum.•The program budget will be used to purchase resources to help support the program in both Prep & Year 1. •We will continue to work closely with Parents and Friends & Buildings & Grounds to complete our outdoor space.