In planning and guiding what children learn, practitioners must reflect on the different rates at which children are developing and adjust their practice appropriately. The Satutory Framework for the EYFS sets out the following three characteristics of effective teaching and learning:

Playing and Exploring - children investigate and experience things, and "have a go"

Active Learning - children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements

Creating and thinking critically - children have and develop their own ideas. make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things

At Perry Beeches we have created eight dinosaur characters that relate to these characteristics, to enable us to encourage children to develop and demonstrate these important characteristics in a more child friendly way. Children are awarded with certificates when they have been observed consistently demonstrating the characteristics of a particular dinosaur

Try-a-tops

We always try our hardest!

We persist with activities when challenges occur.

We believe that putting in lots of effort will pay off.

We try to bounce back after difficulties.

Explorer-raptor

We love to explore!

We show curiosity about objects, events and people,

using our senses to explore the world around us.

We like to know about everything!

Understand-a-Rex

We always try to understand others.

We put ourselves in their shoes and try our best to see their point of view.

Thinkodocus

We think a lot – we think of ideas, we find ways to solve problems,

we think about new ways to do things.

We make links in our thinking and make predictions.

Concentrator-saurus

We use our skills of concentrating to help us learn more and more!

We practice mindfulness to help us focus and be in the moment,

trying our best at all times.

Improver-raptor

We reflect on our work and things we have done,

always trying to improve and get better.

We celebrate things we have done well and try to find ways we can improve.

Pushasaur

We push ourselves to the limits and test our boundaries,

often pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone –

where the REAL learning happens!

Have-a-go Rex

We like to have a go!

We take risks and engage in new experiences.

We like to learn by trial and error.

We seek challenges and show a “can do” attitude