Across Sunshine Nursery the Education Scotland document Realising the Ambition: Being Me is used. It was introduced in 2020 and is a refreshed early years national practice guidance for Scotland and presents key information about the characteristics of child development based on research and evidence. It explores the range of interactions, experiences and spaces which need to be provided for babies and young children to help them learn and grow best from their earliest days through to being a young child in early primary school. ‘Realising the Ambition: Being Me’ increases expectations of high quality and provides support for all who work in the early years sector and beyond.

The Curriculum for Excellence was introduced in 2010 and helps to ensure pre-school children’s developmental needs are met. The emphasis is very much on learning through quality play experiences in a nurturing and inviting environment.
There are eight areas of the curriculum:

• Health and Wellbeing
• Language and Literacy
• Mathematics and Numeracy
• Expressive Arts
• Religious and Moral Education
• Science
• Social Studies
• Technology

At Sunshine Nursery the children will have learning opportunities in the Early Level of all these areas. The Curriculum for Excellence is embedded in our practice and with a focus on experiential learning children are enabled to become Responsible Citizens, Confident Individuals, Effective Contributors and Successful Learners.

Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) is the national approach to improving the wellbeing of children and young people. Sunshine Nursery is committed to this and it is embedded throughout or practice and policies.
The GIRFEC approach:

• Puts the best interests of the child at the heart of decision making
• Takes a holistic approach to the wellbeing of a child
• Works with children, young people and their families on ways to improve wellbeing
• Advocates preventative work and early intervention to support children, young people and their families
• Believes professionals must work together in the best interests of the child

• Safe
• Healthy
• Achieving
• Nurtured
• Active
• Respected
• Responsible
• Included

These eight factors are often referred to by their initial letters – SHANARRI.
They are wellbeing indicators which help make it easier for children and families and the staff at Sunshine Nursery to assess and discuss how a child is doing at a point in time and if there is a need for support. Each child is unique and there is no set level of wellbeing that children should achieve. Wellbeing is influenced by children’s individual experiences and changing needs as they grow. The principles of SHANARRI underpin the who development and learning experiences of a child and staff use it to ensure that children thrive at Sunshine Nursery.