Curricular
Transitions at
the Early Level
Michelle Simpson,
Acting PT
Toronto Primary School
West Lothian
michelle.simpson@wled.org.uk
The Big Questions
-We spend a lot of time, usually in the final term, preparing
children for their move to ‘the big school’ but how can we ensure
that this just becomes a natural transition?
-What have they experienced for 2 years prior to coming to school
that we can learn from and nurture?
-How can we ensure that the children are making progress in their
learning?
-How can we record this progress
effectively?
What did we do?
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Pre-School Transition
Visits to Primary 1 and the school building (PE and Assemblies,
Dinner hall and Playground)
P1 teacher and nursery teacher team teaching with mixed groups
of P1 and Nursery pre school children
Joint collaborative projects which start in Nursery and finish in
Primary 1
‘Jobs for the Day’ for the full last term
Planning for Progression across the Early Level
 Learner’s Journeys
 Planning
 Assessment




Introduction of the idea of a ‘Onery’
Using the Environment as a tool to support our children
P1 and P2 area shared
Similar themes and topics to encourage collaborative practice
Structured ‘Soft Start’ times like in Nursery
The Big School
The move to the ‘big school’ is an exciting and important time for children and
their parents. Children look forward to it and mums and dads can see it as
marking a significant moment when a special carefree time of childhood is left
behind and children embark on a new phase of development.
The first days and months in primary school present so many new experiences
and challenges, and children often respond with an accelerated spurt of
development, thriving on the challenge and adapting well. This kind of response
depends on the resilience of the individual child as well as on factors such as the
network of friends and supporters that children can draw on. Research shows that
how well children adjust to the challenges of the new environment can have a
significant and lasting impact on their learning in school.
our aim has been to develop an approach that makes it more likely that children
moving on are ready, willing and able to confidently pick up the threads of
successful early learning.
We thought about our P1
classrooms and shared areas
We asked ourselves…
How can our P1 classrooms reflect the
Nursery environment?
Do we have:
A Writing Area?
A Numeracy Area?
A Role Play Area?
A Physical Play Area?
A Small World Play Area?
A Craft Area?
A Sand/Water?Dough Area?
etc
Co-operative Learning
Fairytales
Assessment
Group 1
(P1 Teacher and Nursery Nurse)
The Gingerbread Man
Co-operative groups
Group 2
(P1 Teacher and Nursery Nurse
Aladdin
Group 3
(Nursery Teacher and PSW)
The Princess and the Pea
Read the Story of the Gingerbread Man
Read the story of Aladdin
Read and follow the interactive story of The
Princess and the Pea www.realprincess.com
Make salt dough and use it to make
gingerbread men shapes with rolling pins
and cutters.
Provide a selection of craft materials to
make treasure – encourage independence in
getting and using resources.
Print castle pictures from different shaped
bricks.
Small play farm animals and gingerbread men
Imaginative play in a cave with a torch.
Provide story books, treasure and lamps in
the cave.
Dress up as princes and princesses. (old wise
man and page costumes and dancer’s
dresses)
Aladdin jigsaw
Investigate how easy it is to feel a pea with
layers of different fabrics.
Animal puppets to act out the story
Draw your own gingerbread man on card
then make it into a jigsaw
Run, run rhyme with woodblocks to keep
steady beat.
Pictures of the story to sequence.
Make paper chain gingerbread men and
colour with multicultural crayons.
Imaginative play on a magic carpet.
Role play weddings and banquets.
Make model lamps from plasticine.
Play “hide the treasure” using warmer and
colder clues. (like hunt the thimble)
Build castles from own choice of
construction materials.
Shared Role Play Areas
Structured
‘Soft Start’
Joint Initiatives
Learner’s Journeys
In West Lothian we use Learner’s Journeys as a form of documenting
children’s learning and tracking their progress.
The Learner’s Journey is the
Early Level Profile. This
document was developed by
West Lothian Council Early
Years Quality Assurance
Group in consultation with
relevant stakeholders as a
response to BtC5. It
provides a format to
recognise and record
children’s progress in
learning and wider
achievements within the
early level of CfE.
West Lothian Early Years
Quality Assurance Sub Group
March 2011
Early Level Overview
READING
LIT 0-01a / 11a / 20a
Sounds, rhymes, alliteration
D D1 I enjoy rhyming stories
D2 I join in saying
D
rhymes
C C1 I am aware that letters relate to sounds
C2 I can identify
C
rhyming words
C3 I identify one or more
initial sounds
S
S1 I can identify initial sounds
S2 I can generate rhyming
S
words
S3 I can sound out simple words
S4 I can generate
alliteration
ENG 0-12a /LIT 13a / 21a
Learning to read
D D1 I can recognise one or more letters
D
D2 I can recognise my own name without picture support
C C1 I can recognise most letters
C
C2 I can recognise a few words other than my name
S
S1 I can read all the Jolly phonics sounds
S2 I can read 3 letter
S
words S3 I can use my phonic knowledge to sound out simple words
S4 I can read some “tricky words”
LIT 0-07a / 16a / 17a
Understanding and linking
D I can ask a simple question about a text to help me understand or gain
D
info
C I can link what I already know to information in a text
C
S
I can link and share my new learning from a text with others
S
LIT 0-01b / 11b
Reading stories
D1 I can select a library book
D2 I choose to look at books for
pleasure
C1 I can say whether I like or dislike a story
C2 I enjoy using picture clues to “read” a story
S1 I can talk about a story with some detail
S2 I use pictures and my knowledge of a few words to “read”
S3 I am mainly using words to read simple stories
LIT 0-14a
Finding information
I can use signs, books or the internet(with support) to find information
I can learn from the information I find
I can use the information I find to help me make choices and/or make
plans
LIT 0-19a
Sharing understanding
I enjoy exploring events and characters in stories through role play
I can respond to a simple question about an event or character in a story
or text
I can share my ideas about an event or character in a story or text
WRITING
LIT 0-01a / 11a / 20a
Patterns and sounds in writing
D I do emergent writing and say what I am writing about
D
C
C
S
As I begin to write I show awareness of onset and rhyme in 3 letter
words
As I write I use previous knowledge of sound patterns to generate words
Lit 0-021b
Writing materials and conveying information
D D1 I explore mark making and I try out different materials such as
pencils, crayons, felt pens, chalks and brushes
D2 I can talk about my drawings and / or emergent writing
C As I play and learn I am beginning to write to record experiences,
feelings, ideas and information with support
S
As I play and learn I can write to record experiences, feelings, ideas and
information with little support
LIT 0-09b / 31a
Writing stories
D
I can make marks to record my ideas and I can talk about them
C
S
I am beginning to write my own imaginative stories with support and I
can say what they are about
I can write my own imaginative stories and share them with others
S
D
C
S
ENG 0-12a / LIT 13a / 21a
Learning to write
D1 I do emergent writing
D2 I am trying to write my
name
C1 I can write my name
C2 I can write most letters
C3 I can use my phonic knowledge to write simple words
S1 My writing shows an awareness of spaces between words
S2 My writing shows some awareness of sentences and punctuation
LIT 0-26a
Communicating and genre
D1 I do emergent writing as part of my play to record information
D2 Through my emergent writing I show that I am aware of different
forms of writing (eg list, invitation, sign)
I am beginning to write to communicate feelings, ideas, experiences and
info using various genre with support
I communicate my feelings, ideas, experiences and information using
various genre of writing with little support
Taking things a step further…
May 2014
HWB 0-23a
Today in Nursery, Ellie chose to play in the brick corner with her friend. As
she investigated the brick area she discussed what she was going to build
with her friend. The girls settled on building a house. Ellie selected some of
the tools from the tool box and measured one of the bricks with a tape
measure saying ‘it’s 80-50 and these tweezers (pliers) are very nippy so let’s
get the hammer and sort this mess out’.
During this experience, Ellie had very clear ideas of her own and was also
able to accept the viewpoint of others around her. ‘India let’s get building an
enormous wall...oh that’s good’. Ellie went on to tell one of the boys that she
was ‘a lady builder’. Ellie played here for a good while co-operatively and
had great fun with her peers!
Relevant and Purposeful for the Children and
Parents
I chose to look through my Learner’s
Journey folder today.
Parent
Consultation
Feedback
October 2013
I did something special in
nursery today and asked for
it to be added to my
Learner’s Journey!
Child’s Name
I had a look through your Learner’s Journey and I loved:
I helped to add lovely work to my
Learner’s Journey. I’m very clever!
This is what I thought:
Something I would love to see you
improve on is: (This can be at nursery or at home)
The staff at nursery might not know this but something
you’re really good at at home is:
Please tell us what you thought of our Learner’s Journey
folders as we always strive to improve them and value your
feedback.
How do you feel your child has settled
in or settled back in to nursery so far:
MNU 0-01a
Size/Measure
Short
MNU 0-02a
Number
As a Nursery
Team we
realised the
importance of
the children
being able to
see their
progression at
a glance so we
created this
visual
representation
of the
outcomes for
Numeracy and
Maths.
Long
Full
Empty
Small
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Big
1-5
5-10
I can count using 1-1 correspondence.
MNU 0-03a
Add/Subtract
Thick
10-15
Thin
15-20
I can order numbers.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
I can count forwards.
I can count backwards.
MNU 0—07a
Fractions
I can divide.
I divide objects equally.
I can share objects equally between my friends.
MNU 0-09
Money
I can use money through play.
I can sort money by type.
MNU 0-10a
Time
I can follow nursery routines.
I am learning about the seasons.
I can recite the days of the week.
MNU 0-13a
Pattern
I have experienced pattern through play. I can complete a pattern.
MNU 0-16a
Shape
I can name a square.
I can complete a complex pattern.
I can name a circle.
I can name a triangle
I can name a rectangle.
I have experienced shape through play.
Currently we are
developing more for
the other areas
20+
MNU 0-17a
Position
Forward
Backwards
on top
under
MNU 0-20b
Sorting
I can sort using a given criteria.
Colour
I can sort using my own criteria.
in
Thinking about Planning
‘Professional dialogue is key to improving learning….Forward planning is a tool
to assist teaching and learning. Teachers should plan to the level of detail
which will work best for their pupils. This will vary…and there should not be
a “one-size-fits-all” approach.’
Forward planning should be proportionate; there is no need to plan, assess,
record and report at the level of each and every Experience and Outcome. It
is almost always better to group together related Experiences and Outcomes
and focus on the most significant aspects of teaching and learning.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Schools/CfEtacklingbureaucr
acygroup
…and so that is what we did…
Social Studies
SOC 0-17a/SOC 0-18a – Permeates throughout Nursery and P1
Nursery
Primary 1
SOC 0-01a
SOC 0-02a
SOC 0-04a
SOC 0-15a
SOC 0-18a
My Family (Year 1)
SOC 0-01a
SOC 0-02a
SOC 0-04a
SOC 0-15a
SOC 0-16a
Me at School
SOC 0-012a
Weather (Year 1)
SOC 0-07a
SOC 0-08a
SOC 0-09a
SOC 0-12a
SOC 0-16a
Scotland
SOC 0-20a
Shops (Money)
SOC -0-07a
SOC 0-15a
SOC 0-16a
People in our Community
who help us (Year 2)
SOC 0-20a
Shops (Year 2)
People Who Help Us (Health)
Science
SCN 0-11a – Linked to Music with Mr Paul throughout the the year for both Nursery and Primary 1
Nursery
SCN 0-01a
SCN 0-03a
Autumn (Year 1 &2)
Minibeasts
SCN 0-04a
SCN 0-07a
Transport, Toys and
Wheels (Year 2)
SCN 0-05a
SCN 0-15a
Winter Weather, Animals
and Materials (Year 1)
SCN 0-09a
Electricity (Year 1&2)
SCN 0-20a
Weather Around the
World – Wizard of Oz
(Year 2)
Primary 1
SCN 0-01a
SCN 0-03a
SCN 0-20a
SCN 0-11a
SCN 0-12a
HWB 0-47a
HWB 0-47b
SCN 0-15a
The Gruffalo
Senses
Materials (3 little pigs)
Planning
We grouped some
of the natural Social
Studies and Science
Outcomes and from
there created some
possible contexts
for learning over the
Early Level.
Early Level 3 Year Overview – Nursery
Year 1
Windyknowe Nursery Early Level Topic Overview (2012-2014)
(Nursery – Primary 1)
Nursery Year 1
(2012-2013)
Term 1
Aug - Oct
Topic 1
7 Weeks
Term 2
Oct – Dec
Topic 2
8 Weeks
My (New) Nursery
(2 weeks)
HWB 0-03a HWB 0-05a
HWB 0-07a HWB 0-08a
HWB 0-19a HWB 0-23a
RME 0-02a RME 0-09a
*These outcomes will be
focussed on whenever a new
child arrives throughout the
year.
My Family
(3 weeks)
SOC 0-01a
SOC 0-02a
SOC 0-04a
H&WB 0-44b
H&WB 0-51a
Dinosaurs
(children’s interest)
SOC 0-04a
Autumn
(2 weeks)
SOC 0-08a
SCN 0-01a
MNU 0-10a
Term 3
Jan - April
Term 4
April - June
Topic 6 (HEALTH)
3 Weeks
Topic 3
5 ½ Weeks
Topic 4
6 Weeks
Topic 5
6 Weeks
Dark and Light
(4 weeks)
SCN 0-01a
SCN 0-06a
MNU 0-10a
Chinese New Year
(1 week)
RME 0-04a
RME 0-06a
Colour and Shape
(2 weeks)
*Stranger Danger/
Road Safety
H & WB 0-17a
H & WB 0-18a
Scottish Week
Tartan
Robert Burns
SOC 0-01a
SOC 0-07a
SOC 0-15a
LIT 0-01a/LIT 0-11a/LIT
0-20a
LIT 0-10a
Living Things in our
Garden
Plants & Mini Beasts
(6 weeks)
SCN 0-01a
SCN 0-08a
SCN 0-20a
MNU 0-19a
H&WB 0-50a
12 Days of Fitness
H&WB Focus
(Variety of sports and
health and fitness
activities will be provided
throughout this final few
weeks )
Going to School
(integrated throughout last
term)
Electricity
SCN 0-09a
Seasonal/Celebrations
*Halloween *Fireworks
H&WB 0-16a
Christmas & Nativity
(4 weeks)
H&WB 0-12a
RME 0-01a
RME 0-03a
Winter Animals
& Materials
Topical Science
(4weeks)
SCN 0-05a
SCN 0-15a
MNU 0-20b
MNU
MNU
MNU
MNU
0-13a
0-16a
0-20a
0-20b
Easter and
Mothers’ Day
(1 week)
RME 0-03a
Spring and New Life on the
Farm
Preparation for TRIP to
East Links Farm
(3 weeks)
SCN 0-20a
SOC 0—08a
Sports Day
Split Pre and Ante-Pre
children to participate
Fathers’ Day
Jolly Phonics
ENG 0-12a/LIT 013a/LIT 0 – 21a
Number Zoo
MNU 0-02a
‘Oh Leela’
Drug and Alcohol misuse
programme of work
(1 week)
Nursery Trip to soft play
area
Broad overview of MAIN Social Studies and Science CfE outcomes which link to each topic naturally are listed below. Each topic will have a main assessment focus.
Literacy, Numeracy, H&WB and Technology will all permeate throughout so only focussed outcomes are listed below. More detail can be found in Long Term plans.
Early Level 3 Year Overview – Nursery
Year 2
Term 1
Aug - Oct
Term 2
Oct – Dec
Term 3
Jan - April
Term 4
April - June
Term 4
Topic 1
9 Weeks
Topic 2
8 Weeks
Topic 3
13 Weeks
Topic 5
6 Weeks
Topic 6 (HEALTH)
3 Weeks
My (New) Nursery
(3 weeks)
HWB 0-03a HWB 0-05a
HWB 0-07a HWB 0-08a
HWB 0-19a HWB 0-23a
RME 0-02a RME 0-09a
Transport and Wheel
Technology
Financial Educataion
*Energy and Forces
(4 weeks)
SCN 0-04a
SCN 0-07a
SOC 0-09a
SOC 0-15a
MNU 0-01a
MNU 0-11a
MTH 0-17a
TCH 0-01a
*These outcomes will be focussed on
whenever a new child arrives
throughout the year.
Nursery Year 2
(2013-2014)
People in our community
who help us
*Local Environment Study
(4 weeks)
SOC 0-07a
SOC 0-15a
SOC 0-16a
Autumn & Harvest
Percy The Park Keeper
(1 week)
SCN 0-01a
SCN 0-03a
Weather Around the World
*The Wizard of Oz
Natural Disasters
(5 weeks)
SCN 0-20a
MNU 0-20a
SOC 0-12a
Traditional Tales
(6 weeks)
SOC 0-17a
LIT 0-19a
LIT 0-01b/LIT 0-11b
MNU 0-01a
HWB 0-09a
HWB 0-17a
Going to School
(integrated throughout last
term)
Burns Week
Scottish Week
St Andrew
RME 0-03a
H&WB 0-35a
Hairy McLary
(Scottish Literature)
(1 week)
SOC 0-01a
SOC 0-02a
LIT 0-01a/LIT 0-11a/LIT 0-20a
Christmas&Nativity
(3 weeks)
H&WB 0-12a
RME 0-01a
RME 0-03a
Seasonal/Celebrations
*Halloween *Fireworks
*Divali
H&WB 0-16a
RME 0-04a
RME 0-06a
The Shop/Post Office
(6 weeks)
SOC 0-07a
SOC 0-16a
SOC 0-20a
MNU 0-01a
MNU 0-09a
MNU 0-20a
Easter and
Mothers’ Day
(1 week)
RME 0-03a
LIT 0-10a
*Location to be decided in
collaboration with parents and
children
Sports Day
Split Pre and Ante-Pre
children to participate
Jolly Phonics
I am Special
(Body Systems)
H&WB 0-48a
H&WB 0-48b
SCN 0-12a
ENG 0-12a/LIT 0-13a/LIT 0
– 21a
Fathers’ Day
Number Zoo
MNU 0-02a
Preparation for Nursery
Trip
12 Days of Fitness
H&WB Focus
(Variety of sports and
health and fitness activities
will be provided throughout
this final few weeks )
‘Oh Leela’
Drug and Alcohol misuse
programme of work
(1 week)
End of term Showcase of
our talents
Early Level 3 Year Overview – Primary 1
PRIMARY 1
Settling In
(1 week)
Primary
1
I am at School
(6 weeks)
SOC 0-01a
SOC 0-02a
SOC 0-16a
SOC 0-17a
RME 0-08a
RME 0-07a
H&WB
*Keeping Myself Safe
*Thinking About Others
*My Family and Friends
Primary 1
Stand
Alone
RME
*Introduction of the Bible
*Noah’s Ark
*Harvest/Creation
I Live in Scotland
(4 weeks)
SOC 0-07a
SOC 0-08a
SOC 0-09a
SOC 0-12a
Materials: The 3
Wee Grumphies
(5 ½ weeks)
SCN 0-15a
TCH 0-02a
TCH 0-12a
TCH 0-14a
Senses
(6 weeks)
SCN 0-12a
HWB 0-47a
HWB 0-47b
The Gruffalo
(6 weeks)
SCN 0-01a
SCN 0-03a
Healthy Me
(3 weeks)
SOC 0-16a
RME 0-02a
HWB0-16a
HWB0-17a
HWB0-21a
HWB0-22a
HWB0-23a
HWB0-24a
HWB0-25a
HWB0-26a
HWB0-27a
HWB0-28a
H&WB
RME
H&WB
RME
*Right and Wrong
*My Feelings
*My Community
*Chinese New Year
*Easter
*People Who Help Us
*Jesus as a special
person (Miracles)
*The Church as a
special place
Scottish Week
RME 0-03a
Christmas & Toys
(3 weeks)
SCN 0-04a
SCN 0-07a
RME 0-02a
RME 0-03a
H&WB
*Bonfire Night
*Be Bright Be Seen
*What’s The Score?
*Drug Sense
*CEOP
*All the Things
RME
H&WB
*Divali
*Bee Safe
*Be Safe
Assessment Records
CfE Outcome
ENG 0-12/LIT 0-13a/LIT 0-21a As I help to prepare the snack menu board I am
becoming aware of sounds and words by using visual cards and listening to an
adult. I am learning to experiment with writing letters and words with adult
guidance.
Name
Aaron G
Aaron N
Aaron W
Adam
Alfie
Andy
Angus
Anna
Anthony
Leanna
Comment
I can confidently
copy sounds with
actions and can
copy simple
words.
With some
support I am
copying Sounds
with actions and
creating early
symbols
With some
support I am
becoming aware
of sound, letters
and mark
making.
‘Joyning’ the Learning Project
Following on from the success of Nursery floorbooks
Children leading
their own learning
Collaborative
Nursery
P1/P2 Project
The curriculum should
be designed on the
basis of the following
principles:
Challenge & enjoyment
Breadth
Progression
Depth
Personalisation &
choice
Coherence
Relevance
https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/glowblogs/technologiesforlearning/2010/08/30/glowing-cookbook-glow-meet-with-a-dragon-early-years-fairyland-topic/
Let’s Reflect