Our Learning

What your child can expect

All children are involved in learning through play and through discovery activities. At Riverside Playgroup we have a wide range of high quality resources to suit all age groups. Activities on offer include: outside sandpit, creative activities, construction, water play, puzzles and games, role play and computers/tablets for ICT.
When your child joins us at Riverside they will be observed and assessed against the Early Years Foundation Stage which helps your child achieve the five Every Child Matters outcomes of staying safe, being healthy, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution and achieving economic well-being.
The EYFS has four principle themes:

A unique child: Every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.
Positive relationships: Children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or a key person.
Enabling environment: The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning
Learning and development: Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates and all areas of Learning and Development are equally important and inter-connected.
Our key person system

At Riverside we operate a “key person” system. This means that every child is allocated a member of staff that will work closely with them throughout their time at Riverside. The key person is responsible for the upkeep of records about your child’s progress, they make sure that your child feels secure and confident, and are the initial point of contact for yourself regarding your child’s stay at Riverside.
All children will need time to settle into their new environment. At Riverside we want this period to be as stress free as possible for both you and your child. We therefore suggest that both you and your child come and join us prior to your start date at Riverside so that your child can familiarise themselves with the space and staff. Regular discussions also take place between staff and parents about how their child is settling in, giving a chance for both parties to discuss any concerns that may arise. (Please see Settling In/Child Induction Policy)