Balnamill Little Learners follows the Northern Ireland Pre School Curricular Guidance to ensure that our curriculum is broad, balanced, and developmentally appropriate.  This curricular guidance is used by the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) when evaluating the quality of provision and the outcomes for learners in all pre-school settings. We believe in providing children with opportunities to explore and learn through play and other experiences, allowing them to make choices and develop essential skills across various domains. Our curriculum focuses on the following key areas:

Personal, Social, and Emotional Development: We prioritise the well-being and social skills of our pupils, building positive relationships, self-confidence, and emotional resilience through activities that promote sharing, cooperation, and empathy.

Physical Development and Movement: We provide opportunities for children to develop their gross and fine motor skills, coordination, and spatial awareness through indoor and outdoor activities, including active play, games, and structured movement sessions.

The Arts: We encourage creativity, self-expression, and appreciation for the arts through activities such as painting, drawing, music, dance, drama, and storytelling, allowing children to explore their imagination and develop their artistic talents.

Language Development: We support language acquisition and communication skills through engaging activities such as storytelling, rhymes, songs, and conversations, creating a rich language environment that promotes vocabulary development, listening, and speaking skills.

Early Mathematical Experiences: We introduce foundational mathematical concepts such as counting, sorting, patterns, shapes, and measurements through hands-on activities, games, and manipulatives, creating mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills.

The World Around Us: We encourage curiosity and exploration of the world, including nature, science, technology, and the local community, through hands-on experiences, experiments, class trips, and discussions, nurturing children's understanding of their environment and creating a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world.

Additionally, our curriculum remains flexible to incorporate any other relevant topics or interests that emerge within the classroom, ensuring that learning remains meaningful, engaging, and responsive to the needs and interests of our pupils. Through our comprehensive and holistic approach to curriculum delivery, we aim to lay a solid foundation for lifelong learning and success in our pupils' educational journey.

A copy of the Curricular Guidance for Pre-School Education is available to download here