Understanding the world

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

Throughout the school year we explore a range of topics. These topics aim to stimulate a sense of curiosity and exploration of the world. We support this development 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.