The Cambridge International Early Years Programme is a comprehensive curriculum designed for children aged 3 to 6. It aims to provide young learners with the best possible start in life, helping them meet key early milestones and thrive both in and outside of school. The programme is the first stage in the Cambridge Pathway, which offers a clear path for educational success from age 3 to 19.
The Cambridge Early Years curriculum follows a holistic approach, focusing on the whole child and connecting their development with the world around them. It builds on key areas of early childhood development and develops knowledge, understanding, and skills through a spiral approach. The curriculum is designed to be delivered through the medium of English, but resources are available to support second-language English students.
The Cambridge International Early Years Programme is based on key principles that have been developed over the last two decades through close collaboration with nations and education systems. The programme is designed to support education reviews and ensure that reforms result in quality improvements. With its focus on holistic development and clear educational pathway, the Cambridge Early Years programme is an excellent choice for parents and educators looking to give young learners the best possible start in life.
Understanding the Cambridge International Early Years Programme
The Cambridge International Early Years Programme is a comprehensive curriculum designed for children aged 3 to 6 years old. It is the first stage in the Cambridge Pathway, which provides a clear educational journey for students from age 3 to 19. The programme is designed to give young learners the best possible start in life, helping them to meet key early milestones and thrive both in and outside of school.
The programme is built on key principles that have been developed through extensive research on high-quality early years provision. These principles include a holistic and balanced curriculum, engaging classroom resources, assessment approaches to measure learners’ progress, and professional development opportunities for teachers.
The Cambridge International Early Years Programme is designed to help children transition successfully to primary school, moving from informal, play-based learning to teaching that is more formal. It provides a solid foundation for future learning by developing key skills such as communication, problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking.
The programme covers six areas of learning: Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language; Physical Development; Literacy; Mathematics; and Understanding the World. Each area of learning is designed to help children develop a range of skills and knowledge that will support their learning and development both now and in the future.
The Cambridge International Early Years Programme provides centres with everything they need to deliver a quality early years education. This includes a range of engaging classroom resources, assessment approaches to measure learners’ progress, and professional development opportunities for teachers. The programme is designed to be flexible and adaptable, allowing centres to tailor it to the needs of their learners and their local context.
Overall, the Cambridge International Early Years Programme provides a comprehensive and high-quality curriculum for young learners. It is designed to give children the best possible start in life, helping them to develop the knowledge, understanding, and skills they need to succeed both now and in the future.
Curriculum Overview
The Cambridge International Early Years Programme is a comprehensive curriculum designed for children aged 3-6 years old. It is built around four key areas of early childhood development: Physical development, Cognitive development, Language and communication development, and Social and emotional development.
The curriculum follows a holistic approach that focuses on the whole child and connects their development with the world and people around them. It is designed to help young learners meet key early milestones and thrive in and outside of school. The Cambridge Early Years Programme is the first stage in the Cambridge Pathway, which gives students a clear path for educational success from age 3-19.
The programme aims to provide a balanced curriculum that encourages children to develop their knowledge, understanding, and skills through a spiral approach. This approach ensures that children revisit and build on their learning over time. The curriculum is designed to be flexible, allowing teachers to adapt it to meet the needs and interests of their students.
The six curriculum areas in the Cambridge Early Years Programme are:
- Personal, social, and emotional development
- Communication and language
- Physical development
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the world
Each curriculum area is further divided into specific learning goals that are age-appropriate and relevant to the child’s developmental stage. The learning goals are designed to be achievable and challenging, providing children with a sense of accomplishment as they progress through the programme.
Overall, the Cambridge International Early Years Programme provides a comprehensive and balanced curriculum that is designed to help young learners develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in school and beyond.
Teaching and Learning Approaches
The Cambridge International Early Years Programme supports a holistic approach to teaching and learning through the six curriculum areas. These curriculum areas reflect the four contexts of development while also developing children’s creative expression. The curriculum areas are equally important and interconnected.
The design of the curriculum supports overlapping teaching and learning approaches. These approaches include active learning, which puts the child at the centre of their learning so they are engaged in their learning rather than passively listening and receiving information. The programme also supports a spiral approach to learning, where children revisit concepts and skills over time, building on their prior knowledge and experiences.
The Cambridge International Early Years Programme recognises that play-based learning is an essential component of early childhood education. Play-based learning allows children to explore, experiment, and discover the world around them. It also provides opportunities for children to develop their language, social, and emotional skills.
The programme provides teaching support to ensure that educators are equipped to deliver high-quality early childhood education. The teaching support includes professional development opportunities, resources, and guidance. This support ensures that educators have the knowledge and skills to create a positive learning environment that fosters children’s curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking skills.
Overall, the Cambridge International Early Years Programme provides a comprehensive approach to early childhood education that supports children’s development across all areas. The programme’s focus on active, play-based learning and teaching support ensures that children receive a high-quality education that prepares them for future success.
Key Skills Development
The Cambridge International Early Years Programme aims to develop key skills in young learners, preparing them for future academic success. The programme focuses on the holistic development of children, covering social and emotional, physical, and literacy skills.
Social and Emotional Development
The programme emphasises the development of social and emotional skills, helping children to build positive relationships and develop empathy. It encourages children to work collaboratively, communicate effectively and develop self-awareness. Through play-based learning, children are encouraged to explore and express their emotions, building resilience and self-confidence.
Physical Development
Physical development is a key aspect of the Cambridge International Early Years Programme. The programme aims to develop children’s gross and fine motor skills, helping them to become physically confident and develop good health habits. Through activities such as dance, yoga and outdoor play, children are encouraged to develop their physical skills, coordination and control.
Literacy Development
The Cambridge International Early Years Programme supports children’s literacy development, helping them to develop a love of reading and writing. The programme focuses on developing children’s phonics, vocabulary, comprehension and writing skills. Through a range of activities, including storytelling, drama and writing, children are encouraged to develop their literacy skills and become confident communicators.
In summary, the Cambridge International Early Years Programme focuses on the holistic development of young learners, covering social and emotional, physical and literacy skills. Through play-based learning, children are encouraged to explore, discover and develop key skills, preparing them for future academic success.
Language and Communication
The Cambridge International Early Years Programme places a strong emphasis on language and communication development. The programme recognises that language and communication skills are crucial for children’s overall development and future academic success.
The programme’s approach to language and communication is based on the belief that all children are capable of learning multiple languages and that bilingualism has numerous benefits. The programme encourages a multilingual approach, which means that children are exposed to multiple languages from an early age.
The Cambridge International Early Years Programme’s approach to language and communication development is grounded in research and best practices. The programme’s curriculum is designed to help children develop their language and communication skills in a variety of ways. For example, the programme provides opportunities for children to:
- Listen to stories and participate in storytelling activities
- Engage in conversations with peers and adults
- Sing songs and rhymes
- Play games that involve language and communication
- Engage in drama and role-playing activities
The programme also recognises the importance of supporting children who are learning English as an additional language. The programme provides resources and support for teachers to help these children develop their language and communication skills.
Overall, the Cambridge International Early Years Programme’s approach to language and communication is designed to help children develop strong language skills and become effective communicators. By providing a multilingual approach and supporting children who are learning English as an additional language, the programme helps children develop the language and communication skills they need to succeed in school and beyond.
Assessment and Progress Tracking
The Cambridge International Early Years Programme provides a comprehensive framework for assessing and tracking learners’ progress from the age of 3 to 6 years. The programme’s assessment approach is centred on the observation of learning, evaluation of evidence, and planning for next steps.
Observation of learning is an important part of the assessment process. It involves gathering evidence about a child’s development through careful observation of their interactions with their environment and peers. This evidence is then evaluated to identify areas of strength and areas where further support is needed.
To support the assessment process, Cambridge International Education provides a digital assessment tool called Cambridge Early Years Check Together. This tool is designed to support the curriculum and ongoing observational assessment in the classroom. It helps practitioners to evaluate a child’s progress against milestones in their physical development, language and communication development, cognitive development, and social and emotional development.
It is important to note that while digital tools and platforms can be useful for recording progress, they should not detract from crucial child interactions and feedback. The focus should always be on the child’s development and progress, rather than on data gathering and tracking.
Overall, the Cambridge International Early Years Programme provides a robust framework for assessing and tracking learners’ progress. Its assessment approach is centred on observation, evaluation, and planning for next steps, and is supported by a digital assessment tool to aid the process. By using this approach, practitioners can make effective judgements about learners’ development and provide targeted support where needed.
Resources and Support
Cambridge International Early Years Programme offers a range of resources and support to help educators create an engaging and effective learning environment for their young learners.
Resources
The programme provides a variety of classroom resources to support teaching and learning. These resources include learner’s books, digital teaching resources, and assessment materials. The learner’s books are designed to help young learners develop their English language skills, communication, and problem-solving abilities. The digital teaching resources provide interactive and engaging activities that support the learning objectives of the programme. The assessment materials are designed to help educators evaluate their learners’ progress and identify areas for improvement.
Engaging Classroom Resources
The programme’s resources are designed to be engaging and interactive to help young learners develop a love for learning. The resources include stories, songs, and games that are age-appropriate and aligned with the programme’s learning objectives. These resources help learners develop their creativity, imagination, and critical thinking skills.
Professional Development
Cambridge International Early Years Programme also provides professional development opportunities for educators. These opportunities include training sessions, workshops, and online courses. The programme’s professional development resources are designed to help educators develop their teaching skills, knowledge, and confidence in delivering the programme effectively.
Support
The programme provides support to educators to ensure the successful implementation of the programme. The support includes guidance on curriculum planning, assessment, and delivery. Educators can access support through online forums, email, and phone. The programme also provides support to parents and caregivers to help them understand the programme and how they can support their child’s learning at home.
In conclusion, Cambridge International Early Years Programme offers a range of resources and support to help educators create an engaging and effective learning environment for their young learners. The programme’s resources are designed to be engaging and interactive, and the professional development opportunities and support provided help educators deliver the programme effectively.
Role of Art, Dance and Creative Expression
Creative expression is an essential component of the Cambridge International Early Years Programme. Children are encouraged to use art, music, drama, and dance to express themselves and develop their imagination. This area of learning brings together skills and cognitive processes from across the whole curriculum.
Art and design play a crucial role in the development of young children. Through art, children learn to communicate their ideas and emotions while developing their fine motor skills. They learn to experiment with different materials, colours, and textures, which helps to stimulate their creativity and imagination. Cambridge International Early Years Programme provides opportunities for children to explore art and design in a safe and supportive environment.
Dance is another important aspect of creative expression. It allows children to express themselves through movement and music, helping them to develop their physical coordination and balance. Dance also promotes social interaction and teamwork, as children learn to work together to create a performance. The Cambridge International Early Years Programme encourages children to explore different styles of dance and to develop their own choreography.
Creative expression is not just about producing artwork or performing on stage. It is also about encouraging children to think creatively and to develop their own ideas. The Cambridge International Early Years Programme provides opportunities for children to explore their own interests and to develop their own projects. This approach helps to foster a love of learning and encourages children to become independent thinkers.
In conclusion, the role of art, dance, and creative expression in the Cambridge International Early Years Programme is essential. It provides children with opportunities to explore their own creativity and to develop their own ideas. It also helps to promote social interaction and teamwork, while developing physical coordination and fine motor skills.
Understanding the Learning Environment
Creating an effective learning environment is a crucial aspect of implementing the Cambridge International Early Years Programme. The learning environment should be designed to meet the needs of the whole child and be child-centred. This section will provide an overview of the learning environment and the key considerations that should be taken into account when creating an effective learning environment.
The learning environment refers to the physical, social, and emotional context in which learning takes place. It includes the physical space, materials, and resources available to children, as well as the interactions and relationships between children and adults. The learning environment should be designed to support the development of the whole child, including their physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development.
Creating an inclusive learning environment is a key consideration when implementing the Cambridge International Early Years Programme. The learning environment should be designed to meet the needs of all children, regardless of their background, abilities, or needs. This includes providing resources and materials that reflect the diversity of the children in the setting, as well as creating an environment that is welcoming and supportive of all children.
Making links with the wider community is another important aspect of creating an effective learning environment. This includes building relationships with families and other professionals in the community, as well as providing opportunities for children to learn about and engage with their local community. This can help to support children’s social and emotional development, as well as their understanding of the world around them.
In summary, creating an effective learning environment is a crucial aspect of implementing the Cambridge International Early Years Programme. The learning environment should be designed to meet the needs of the whole child and be child-centred, inclusive, and connected to the wider community. By taking these considerations into account, practitioners can create a learning environment that supports children’s development and helps them to thrive both in and outside of school.
Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning
The Cambridge International Early Years Programme places great emphasis on the social and emotional aspects of learning. The programme recognises that social and emotional development is crucial for young learners as it helps them build self-worth, confidence, and positive relationships with others.
Through a spiral approach, learners are given the opportunity to revisit and engage with topics and skills in more depth at each stage. This approach helps learners to meet internationally established milestones for early development.
The programme’s six curriculum areas – Communication, Language and Literacy, Creative Expression, Mathematics, Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Physical Development, and Understanding the world – provide a comprehensive framework for guiding and supporting progress across all areas of development.
The Personal, Social and Emotional Development curriculum area is particularly important in helping young learners develop the interpersonal and intrapersonal skills they need to succeed in life. The SEAL (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning) initiative is used to support children aged from 3-16 years to develop these skills. The initiative has been shown to improve learning and promote emotional health and wellbeing, alongside a range of other benefits to pupils, families and schools.
Overall, the Cambridge International Early Years Programme recognises that social and emotional development is key to a child’s success in both their academic and personal lives. By providing a strong foundation in these areas, young learners are better equipped to navigate the challenges they will face as they grow and develop.
Transitioning from Early Years to Primary
The Cambridge International Early Years Programme provides two routes for learners to progress to Cambridge Primary. The first route includes EY1 (age 3-4), EY2 (age 4-5), and Primary Stage 1 (age 5-6), while the second route includes EY1 (age 3-4), EY2 (age 4-5), EY3 (age 5-6), and Primary Stage 2 (age 6-7). Cambridge International Education provides guidance to help parents and teachers decide on the best route for their learners.
The transition from Early Years to Primary is a crucial time for learners. It is essential to ensure that children are appropriately equipped to make a successful transition from Early Years to Primary. Children who are appropriately equipped are more likely to adapt quickly to primary school life, including processes, teaching and learning methods, and rules. They are also more likely to progress well academically.
Cambridge International Education’s Early Years curriculum follows a holistic approach that focuses on the whole child and connects their development with the world and people around them. The curriculum is built around four key areas of early childhood development: physical development, cognitive development, language and communication development, and social and emotional development. This approach helps learners develop a range of skills and competencies that will prepare them for success in Primary and beyond.
Cambridge International Education’s Early Years Programme is designed to help children transition successfully to Primary school, moving from informal, play-based learning to teaching that is more formal. The programme’s key principles are designed to support this transition and ensure that children are well-prepared for the next stage of their education. Becoming a Cambridge Early Years Centre can provide parents and teachers with access to a range of resources and support to help them ensure that children make a successful transition to Primary school.
Qualifications and Milestones
The Cambridge International Early Years Programme provides a clear path for educational success for students aged 3-6. The programme is designed to help young learners meet key early milestones and thrive both in and outside of school.
The Cambridge Pathway offers a wide range of subjects and flexibility, which gives schools the chance to shape the curriculum so that it is exciting and relevant for their own students. The programme is the first stage in the Cambridge Pathway, providing a strong foundation for students at the beginning of their schooling before progressing through the pathway in an age-appropriate way.
The programme offers a range of qualifications and milestones that students can achieve as they progress through the programme. These include:
- Cambridge Early Years Primary Checkpoint: This is an optional test, which is taken at the end of the Cambridge Primary programme. The test assesses students’ skills and knowledge in English, Mathematics and Science.
- Cambridge Early Years Progression Tests: These tests are taken at the end of each year of the programme and assess students’ skills and knowledge in English, Mathematics and Science.
- Cambridge Early Years Endorsed Resources: These are resources that have been endorsed by Cambridge International and are designed to support the teaching and learning of the programme.
The programme also helps students achieve key milestones such as:
- Developing communication skills: The programme helps students develop communication skills through activities that encourage speaking, listening, reading and writing.
- Developing social skills: The programme provides opportunities for students to work collaboratively and develop social skills such as sharing, taking turns and respecting others.
- Developing cognitive skills: The programme helps students develop cognitive skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking and creativity.
Overall, the Cambridge International Early Years Programme provides a strong foundation for students at the beginning of their schooling and helps them achieve key milestones as they progress through the programme.
Understanding Early Years 1, 2 and 3
The Cambridge International Early Years Programme is designed for children aged 3 to 6 years old. It is divided into three stages: Early Years 1 (EY1), Early Years 2 (EY2), and Early Years 3 (EY3). Each stage has its own set of learning objectives and milestones that children are expected to achieve.
Early Years 1 (EY1)
EY1 is the first stage of the Cambridge International Early Years Programme, designed for children aged 3 to 4 years old. At this stage, children are introduced to a range of activities that help them develop their cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills. The focus is on play-based learning, where children learn through exploration and experimentation.
The learning objectives for EY1 include developing communication and language skills, understanding the world around them, and developing their physical abilities. Children are encouraged to develop their creativity, imagination, and curiosity through a range of activities such as storytelling, music, art, and outdoor play.
Early Years 2 (EY2)
EY2 is the second stage of the Cambridge International Early Years Programme, designed for children aged 4 to 5 years old. At this stage, children continue to build on the skills and knowledge they developed in EY1. The focus is on developing their literacy and numeracy skills, as well as their social and emotional development.
The learning objectives for EY2 include developing early reading and writing skills, developing mathematical concepts, and developing their social and emotional skills. Children are encouraged to explore their environment, ask questions, and develop their problem-solving skills through a range of activities such as role-play, construction, and outdoor play.
Early Years 3 (EY3)
EY3 is the final stage of the Cambridge International Early Years Programme, designed for children aged 5 to 6 years old. At this stage, children are preparing for the transition to primary school. The focus is on consolidating the skills and knowledge they have developed in EY1 and EY2, as well as preparing them for more formal learning.
The learning objectives for EY3 include developing their reading and writing skills, developing mathematical concepts, and developing their critical thinking skills. Children are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning, work collaboratively with others, and develop their independence through a range of activities such as project work, research, and independent play.
Overall, the Cambridge International Early Years Programme provides a holistic approach to early years education, focusing on the development of the whole child. Through play-based learning and a range of activities, children are encouraged to develop their cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills, preparing them for a successful transition to primary school.