Specific areas of learning
Children are encouraged to use a wide range of resources to express their own ideas and feelings. They construct their individual responses in two and three dimensions through art, music, movement, imaginative play and technology. Art equipment, such as paint, glue, crayons, pencils, and play dough, in addition to natural and recyclable resources, provide for open ended creative play and exploration. Children learn about colour, shape and texture, and develop their skills in painting, drawing, making collages and sculptures.
Exploring arts and design
PEOPLE & COMMUNITIES, THE WORLD, TECHNOLOGY
EXPLORING MEDIA AND MATERIALS, BEING IMAGINATIVE
Understanding the World
Apple Tree celebrates diversity. Children learn to respect and value their culture and those of others. In order to make sense of their world, children safely explore and investigate a range of natural and manufactured materials. They learn to observe and investigate the features of nature, recognising differences, patterns and similarities. Along with other IT resources, children are given access to a computer. They learn that information can be retrived from a computer and use ICT hardware to interact with age appropriate software.
NUMBERS SHAPE, SPACE & MEASURE
Literacy
READING & WRITING
We aim to instill a love for books by bringing books to life during our daily story times. Each child has their very own book bag; once a week they choose a book from our 'library' to take home and share with the family. Integrated and discreet daily phonics sessions enables Apple Tree children to make rapid progress in reading.
The development of children's fine motor skills is actively promoted through our Montessori Practical Life Activities. When they are ready, children learn how to form letters correctly, write their names and short words.
By means of practical experience, children become familiar with sorting, matching, ordering, sequencing and counting activities. They develop an awareness of the relationship between numbers and amounts and know that numbers can be 'added together' and 'taken away'. Children use their developing understanding to solve practical problems, learn and use the vocabulary of mathematics, identifying objects by shape, position, size, volume, weight, and number.