Our curriculum is implemented through a Child Led Emergent Interest approach.  We are a play based setting offering learning opportunities focused on children's developing interests, abilities, actions and everyday events happening all around us.

Play is placed at the centre of our preschool programme, it is a fundamental component of our practice.

Our provision is guided by evidence based practice and the experiences and opportunities offered to children, are done so with the aim of nurturing the holistic development of each child. The research is so clear about the benefits of play in child development. In Ireland, we have established play as central to the early childhood curriculum. Both Aistear, the national curriculum framework for children between 0-6, and Síolta, the national quality framework from the Dept. of Education, emphasise the importance of play in the home and in early education settings. Within the context of play there exists a myriad of learning opportunities. Children explore social relationships, contribute ideas and take on the ideas of others. Play provides the opportunity to experiment, explore, discover, to solve problems. As children play there are opportunities to talk, to listen and to explore language. There are also opportunities to relax, to have fun, to experience and to express joy. Children engage in experiences that are child led and open ended. Educators are on hand to guide, scaffold, support and facilitate. Educators and children work collaboratively together – co-constructing knowledge, meaning and understandings.

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Our learning environment comprises of the indoors, outdoors and our local community and amenities. Through our curriculum and philosophy, we aim to support children to be decision makers, independent thinkers and explorers in a space that is safe, flexible and responsive to the children's own rhythm and interests.

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There is an equal value placed on indoor learning and outdoor learning and there is rarely a day when our little explorers spend a full day indoors!

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