Book of the Month

Our curriculum is centred around the “Book of the Month” approach which involves using a chosen book as a central theme, to inspire learning activities that are then developed and expanded, led by children’s interests . Planning is focussed around the seven areas of the EYFS framework:

    • Communication & language
    • Physical development
    • Personal, social and emotional development
    • Literacy
    • Mathematics
    • Understanding the world
    • Expressive arts & design

In addition to the focus book, additional texts are introduced e.g.

Focus Book – The Very Hungry Caterpillar

This is used as a starting point for the month’s activities.

Additional Books are then introduced over the next 4 weeks. These will be a mix of factual and other fictional stories e.g.

  • Factual books about lifecycles
  • Wriggly, Wiggly Caterpillars by Debbie Tarbett
  • The Munching, Crunching caterpillar by Sheridan Cain & Jack Tickle
  • Frank is a Butterfly by Alex Latimer
  • The Butterfly Dance by Suzanne Barton
  • Mad About Minibeasts! by David Wojtowycz

Not every book or activity is linked to the focus text. Other areas may be explored at the same time e.g. skills based activities or special events or religious festivals. The planning can also be led in the direction of children’s interests.

Why use this approach?

The words children hear from books are often more complex and varied than those used in everyday conversation, potentially having a stronger impact on reading and learning abilities.

The book of the month provides a central theme that connects different areas of learning. It allows for a wide variety of experiences and individual interests to be planned for, rather than limiting learning by focusing on a rigid, pre-determined topic that may interest some children but not others.

Exposure to storybooks is incredibly important for young children as it significantly contributes to their cognitive, language, and social-emotional development. Reading aloud to children fosters a love of reading, enhances vocabulary, improves listening skills and lays the foundation for academic success.

Lending Library

We encourage as much sharing of books and nursery rhymes as possible.

We have a lending library situated outside the Sefton Cottage entrance. Parents are welcome to borrow a wide range of books to enjoy at home, at any time.