This is a blog post written by Early Years specialist Sophie Pickles.
Sometimes deciphering all the different words in Early Years and KS1 can be challenging! This blog post aims to decipher some of the key phrases to help those new to the profession, or more experienced staff who fancy a refresher – or just want to know more and find out – what is continuous provision?
What is Continuous Provision?
The phrase ‘Continuous Provision’ refers to the resources and areas laid out in your classroom to provoke learning through play and exploration. The resources should be freely accessible to the children in the classroom during any designated ‘free play’ time and should stay the same throughout the school year. The continuous provision resources you provide in each area should be engaging and relevant. They should challenge and promote critical thinking and problem solving, while remaining open-ended.
Why don’t I need to change the resources in Continuous Provision?
The purpose of Continuous Provision is to provide a continuous and constant resource to allow children to explore their interests, start projects or consolidate learning. Children will often plan how they are going to play before they have even reached the school gates for the start of the day, and it is important that they can rely on the same resources always being available to them as they enter the classroom. With this in mind, the way you set-out and organise the resources in each area is of utmost importance, not only to encourage independence and for ease of tidying but to allow children the autonomy to start their own projects and investigations without the support of an adult.
What are some examples of Continuous Provision?
You could have:
- A small world area
- A construction area
- A reading area
- A creative area with arts and crafts resources
- A maths area
- A phonics area
- A role-play area, for example – people who help us.
- Anything that your children are interested in! Be led by what they are naturally curious about.
What is Enhanced Provision?
If you wish to add extra elements or resources to areas of learning, maybe based around a topic or an interest, this is Enhanced Provision (sometimes also referred to as a provocation, focus activity or invitation to play). We have a wide range of enhanced provision resources and tuff spot tray plans that are full of inspirational ideas, all linked to the EYFS and KS1 national curriculum.
What are the benefits of Continuous Provision in Key Stage 1?
Allowing children access to Continuous Provision and giving them the opportunity to play will not only allow them to consolidate learning that has been taking place elsewhere but also allow them the opportunity to explore new concepts, often before they have ever been taught formally. In essence, Continuous Provision in Key Stage 1 will be very similar to the resources and set-up you would find in the Early Years – the main differences being how the children will naturally access and use the equipment given their advanced maturity and understanding and the way in which adults scaffold learning and interact with the children as they play.
You may also provide equipment that encourages deeper level thinking – jugs with measurements on them, for example, or challenge cards in each area of learning.
Here at Mrs Mactivity we have a range of Continuous Provision resources for both EYFS and KS1. Our EYFS range includes collaborations with specialists who are stll in the classroom and implementing provision every single day.
Our EYFS provision resources range with Miss LVT includes a weekly pack of morning jobs for every week of the school year. These are designed to make the most of the bitty time when children get to school in the morning, and include a range of mark making, phonics, maths and writing activities, with many links to provision
Also within the range you can find weekly EYFS provision packs that can be used for the whole week. These have a range of ideas including tuff spot tray plans, adult-led activities and continuous provision resources.
Also within EYFS, we have our Mr C’s classroom range – a series of packs that provide practitioners with ideas and support to deliver a fun and engaging EYFS curriculum, mainly through exciting continuous provision and tuff tray setups. So many fantastic ideas and you don’t have to do them all – just pick and choose the ones that work for your setting.
KS1 continuous provision ideas
If you’re looking for KS1 continuous provision ideas, inspiration and resources, then our Katie’s Classroom KS1 continuous provision resources range is for you. Katie is a KS1 lead and continuous provision specialist teacher, and in this range, she shares all her top tips and suggestions for getting the most out of continuous provision in KS1.
Within the range, Katie has developed a series of enhanced provision resources that also support her ideas and pedagogy. These are all linked to the KS1 national curriculum so you can be sure that children are covering all their objectives.
Want to see more? Explore via the link below.
Frequently asked questions about continuous provision
1. How can continuous provision be effectively integrated into our existing curriculum and lesson plans?
Continuous provision can be seamlessly integrated into your existing curriculum by aligning the resources and activities provided within the continuous provision areas with the learning objectives and goals of the curriculum. Teachers can identify areas where continuous provision can enhance or reinforce learning outcomes and incorporate it into their lesson plans accordingly.
2. What resources and materials are essential for implementing continuous provision in the classroom? Essential resources for continuous provision include a variety of open-ended materials that promote exploration, creativity, and problem-solving skills. This may include items such as building blocks, art supplies, sensory materials, books, puzzles, and role-play props. The key is to provide resources that allow for open-ended play and exploration, enabling children to engage in self-directed learning experiences.
3. How can we ensure that continuous provision meets the individual learning needs of all pupils? Continuous provision can meet the individual learning needs of all children by offering a diverse range of activities and materials that cater to different interests, and abilities. Teachers can observe children’s interactions within the provision areas and adapt resources or provide additional support as needed to ensure that every child is able to engage meaningfully with the activities.
4. What role does teacher guidance play within continuous provision, and how can we strike the right balance between child-led and teacher-directed activities? While continuous provision is primarily child-led, teacher guidance plays a crucial role in facilitating learning experiences, scaffolding children’s understanding, and extending their learning through questioning, modelling, and providing feedback. Teachers should observe children’s play, intervene when necessary to support learning, and engage in interactions that stimulate critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
5. How do we assess and evaluate pupil progress and learning within the framework of continuous provision? Assessment within continuous provision involves ongoing observation, documentation, and reflection on children’s learning and development. Teachers can use a variety of assessment methods, such as anecdotal records, photographs, and work samples, to gather evidence of children’s progress and understanding. This information can then be used to inform future planning, identify areas for further development, and celebrate children’s achievements.
