THA LIFESTYLE
| FAMILY & PETS
Choosing the Right Provision
When the time comes for
your child to venture out into
a nursery, playgroup or any
childcare setting, it is wise to
consider what is best for your
child. There are many cues to
watch out for when making the
big decision. Ofsted (The Office
for Standards in Education)
should primarily help you. You
can always request for a copy of
the Childcare Provider’s Ofsted
Inspection Report. Ofsted are
an independent and impartial
body who assess the quality and
standard of childcare providers
such as nurseries, schools, and
childminders in the UK. The
outcome of their report generally
analyses all aspects of the
provision. A conclusion is reached
at the end of the report and a
rating is given.
Other factors you would want to
consider include the availability
of resources such as play things,
outdoor facilities and physical
space of a setting. Making a
visit to the setting by prior
appointment could help you
see things for yourself. Some
questions to ask yourself are
‘How friendly were the staff?’
‘How were they interacting with
the children?’ ‘Was it a multicultural environment?’ ‘How
do they celebrate festivals of
different cultures?’ ‘How do they
record observations and the
development of the children’s
learning?’ ‘How qualified were
the staff?’ ‘What was the staff/
children ratio of the setting?’
Another important factor to
consider is if the childcare
setting caters to children with
Special Needs. Consider how
accessible the setting is to a child
with Special Needs. Was there
a ‘Special Educational Needs
Co-ordinator’ at the setting
Tips to help your child
enjoy books
•Encourage your child to pretend to
‘read’ a book before he or she can
read words.
•Visit the library as often as possible take out CDs and DVDs as well
as books.
•Schedule a regular time for reading perhaps when you get home
from work or just before bed.
•Buy bi-lingual books as Tamil
would be your family’s first language.You can talk about books &
stories and develop a love for them,
in any language.
•Look for books on topics that you
know your child is interested like
dragons, insects,dinosaurs, fairies
or a certain sport.
•Make sure that children’s books
are easily accessible in different
rooms around your house.
who is specialised in working with
children with learning disabilities?
Although your child may not have
any Special Needs, this would help
you decide if the setting has an
inclusive approach.
The Early Years Curriculum in
the UK
Every childcare setting may opt
to follow their chosen method to
deliver learning experiences and
knowledge to children, for instance
the Maria Montessori method.
However let’s have an overview of
what the Department of Education
has outlined about the education
of a child.
There are seven areas of learning
and development which all
childcare settings adhere to. Three
of them are known as prime areas.
They are,
• Communication & Language
• Physical Development
• Personal, Social and Emotional
Development
The rest are specific areas, namely
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Arts & Design
All activities carried out at a
nursery or other childcare setting
should revolve around these
seven areas of learning and
development. It is important
for parents to keep an eye out
for