How children are viewed at Roots and Wings

Roots and Wings believe that the way it thinks about children and childhood will in turn impact upon the relationships that are formed with the children in their care and the way they set about planning and implementing their pedagogical programme. It is the belief of the service that children have rights, and they aim to regard children as capable, competent and resourceful little people. Roots and Wings believes that childhood is a stage in its own right and not just a transition to the “next stage” (although of course it is that too).The ethos is a simple one - to provide quality affordable childcare where the individuality and uniqueness of each child is respected.
The aim is also a simple one – to provide a safe but challenging, fun, stimulating and welcoming environment where professionalism goes hand in hand with a caring approach.

Our Curriculum, Learning Environment and Pedagogical Influences

The learning environment at Roots and Wings encourages the development of children who can feel safe and nurtured, who can make choices, think independently, take challenges, explore ideas, ask questions, and be well cared for, within a social play based context. While there is a general rhythm to the day, the team strive to be flexible and responsive to the children’s own rhythm and to their interests, ideas and contributions. At Roots and Wings the indoor and outdoor environment are seen as equally important and a seamless transition between the two is offered during the day.
Experiences tend to be child led and open ended – with children encouraged to use the equipment and activities in their own way, with adults on hand to guide, support and facilitate. Early Years Practitioners and children work collaboratively together – co-constructing knowledge, meaning and understandings.

Curriculum Approach

Aistear, the National Curriculum Framework provides practitioners with guidelines for planning and providing a curriculum that empowers children to grow as competent and confident learners. This is done through supporting a child’s sense of, Well-being, Communicating, Identity and Belonging and Exploring and Thinking. Aistear’s guidelines for good practice advocates the child learning holistically... physically, intellectually, linguistically and socially and emotionally on a higher spiritual level.