Page 69 - PSPS: A Training guide

Documenting the process – how the service is capturing what is happening so it can be
revisited multiple times with the child and parents:
Documenting activities can be conducted through the records of classroom routines
and lesson plans. Nutritional programmes can be recorded through policies and
menus, also through any healthy eating lesson plans that are put in place. In addition,
visual documentation of physical activities through photographs would be useful for
sharing with parents. Children can be supported to document through learning logs,
diaries, or telling stories of their games and activities which can be recorded.

Main Takeaways

The main points from this unit, which has examined the need for parents and
teachers to support children’s physical development throughout the transition
process, are that movement and healthy eating play a key role in supporting the child’s
physical development, they will help and support the child in all other areas of the
learning process, and contribute positively to their mental health and overall well-
being.
The window from 0-8 years is vital for a child to develop their
fundamental movement skills including locomotor (movement) skills;
stability and balance; and object control (manipulative) skills. The school
can support this development with opportunities for regular movement.
This will support all children, and will enable those who have not had
adequate chances to play in this way to catch up and improve their physical
development.

Children with disabilities can be catered for with some planned adjustments that
will cater for the need that they may have, thus affording them equal opportunities to
grow and develop.

Nutrition plays a key role in children’s physical development. School policies and
healthy eating programmes will support this through the transition phase and will also
help to develop long-term habits. These healthy habits, coupled with active movement,
will enable the school beginner to build good physical development and health for
their whole lives.

‘Our youngest [son] is a right home bird. He always just wants to stay at home and
inside. So we started taking him to a swimming pool. At first he didn’t like it but then he
grew more confident. Every week you could see the change in him. We go twice a week
now and he loves it. It’s amazing how much his confidence has grown and that he’s now
a proper little swimmer. Now he wants to start football which is music to my ears!’

(Keith, Dad of 4)