At Granby we focus on children being the centre of everything we do, we tailor their learning to their own needs and pace.
As part of their learning the EYFS, Characteristics of Effective Learning states:
- Encourage children to try new activities and to judge risks for themselves. Be sure to support children’s confidence
with words and body language.
- Taking a risk, engaging in new experiences, and learning by trial and error.
- Always respect children’s efforts and ideas, so they feel safe to take a risk with a new idea.
Allowing risky play at Granby.
We embrace risk taking as it allows children to push themselves to the limits of their capabilities and allows them space to progress. It also allows children to feel in control of their actions, learning and play; they learn boundaries in a safe, secure environment where they can be supported directly or indirectly by practitioners.
Within the structure of health and safety, we always remember that risk-taking is a very important part of a child’s development. But when trusted with the care of young children, the word ‘risk’ raises all sorts of concerns. How will a three-year-old know that the bridge he has built with his peers between two tyres is safe if he does not take a step onto it?
Practitioners support children to make decisions to have opportunity to test what they have built, only then will he realise that it is too wobbly, or that the materials he has chosen are not strong enough or that the supporting structure is not stable.
The practitioners provide the open-ended questions to give children the opportunity to test out their ideas and find solutions for themselves wherever possible. Encouraging team working, relationship development and problem solving.