Selecting Equipment and Toys Policy
The toys and equipment at Redwood Early Years provide opportunities for children, with adult help, to develop new skills and concepts in the course of their play and exploration. The equipment we provide:
- is appropriate for the ages and stages of the children
- offers challenges to developing physical, social, personal and intellectual skills
- features positive images of people, both male and female, from a range of ethnic and cultural groups, with and without disabilities
- includes a range of raw materials which can be used in a variety of ways and encourages an open-ended approach to creativity and problem-solving.
- will enable children, with adult support, to develop individual potential and move towards required learning outcomes
- conforms to all relevant safety regulations and is sound and well made.
- We encourage all play, without limiting children to activities or resources that are stereotyped for a set gender.
Parents are the first educators of their young children. The aim of the group is to support their essential work, not to supplant them. We will:
- make all new parents aware of the group’s systems and policies
- ensure that parents are informed on a regular basis about their child’s progress
- ensure that all parents have opportunities to contribute from their own skills, knowledge and interests to the activities of the group
- involve parents in shared record keeping about their own child, either formally or informally
- ensure that all parents are fully informed about meetings, conferences, workshops and training
- consult with families about the times of meetings to avoid excluding anyone
- hold meetings in venues which are accessible and appropriate for all
- welcome the contributions of parents, whatever form these may take
- make known to all parents the systems for registering queries, complaints or suggestions
- provide opportunities for parents to learn about the setting curriculum and about young children’s learning, in the setting and at home.