At Dingley’s Promise we have been developing an inclusive curriculum which is flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of all children. Here are some recommendations on how to adapt and maintain a high-quality curriculum to meet the changing needs of children:
- Managers and the team should actively participate in experiences so that they can see them from the child’s point of view and adapt as needed.
Actively participating in experiences that you offer will enable you to see them from the child’s point of view. It is important to do this both with the children, relaxing into the play and enjoying the experience for what it offers as well as taking some time as a team to play and discuss the learning opportunities you find with your experiences. recognising the child’s point of view will support you in ensuring the right resources are present and available and knowing different ways you can adapt in the moment to promote learning for a range of children and their individual learning styles.
- Regular observation in practice to review the curriculum and its impact as a team, making adaptations as needed.
It is also important to take the time to observe the curriculum in practice as you will notice different things from this perspective. Discussing these observations as a team will enable you to build a rounded picture of the impact your curriculum is having on the children and teaching techniques of the team.
- Take the time to reflect on the impact the curriculum is having on the cohort of children.
It is likely you will notice differences between cohorts of children as no one child is the same and the ways they engage with educators, the environment and each other will vary with the different relationships forming. Reflecting on the impact of the curriculum with your current cohort will signpost you to any changes or adaptions that would be beneficial to meet the needs of the children you are currently supporting. The following questions could be a useful springboard when reflecting on your curriculum.
You also need to regularly ask the following questions to ensure that your curriculum is impactful, making adaptations based on your reflections.
- Have children made expected or significant progress in their learning?
- Have children been engaged and motivated by the experiences on offer?
- Did children find new passions and interests?
- Did the curriculum activities stretch the children’s thinking?
- Do educators feel confident applying the curriculum to meet a variety of children’s needs?
We must aspire to create ambitious inclusive curriculums which challenge our children’s thinking and offer broad opportunities to build on learning in a child-centered way. The children in our centres are thriving as a result of the broader curriculum opportunities we are providing. It is a constant process of reflection and adaptation for the cohort of children to ensure full accessibility and developmental progress.
Visit our Inclusive Curriculum page for more details on how to build an inclusive curriculum.
By Meggie Fisher – Head of Quality, Dingley’s Promise