Understanding the world

Children engage in themes which help them develop the foundations for learning about the world around them.

The themes used to engage children are exciting and aim to stimulate a sense of curiosity and exploration through a mix of focused learning, play, experimentation and imagination.

Early Learning Goals

ELG: Past and Present

Children at the expected level of development will:

• talk about the lives of the people around them and their roles in society;
• know some similarities and differences between things in the past and now, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class; and
• understand the past through settings, characters and events encountered in books read in class and storytelling.

ELG: People, Culture and Communities

Children at the expected level of development will:

• describe their immediate environment using knowledge from observation, discussion, stories, non-fiction texts and maps;
• know some similarities and differences between different religious and cultural communities in this country, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class; and
• explain some similarities and differences between life in this country and life in other countries, drawing on knowledge from stories, non-fiction texts and – when appropriate – maps.

ELG: The Natural World

Children at the expected level of development will:

• explore the natural world around them, making observations and drawing pictures of animals and plants;
• know some similarities and differences between the natural world around them and contrasting environments, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class; and
• understand some important processes and changes in the natural world around them, including the seasons and changing states of matter.