Children develop curiosity about print in books and in the environment. They learn about story structure and talk about settings, characters and events, suggesting ways that a story might end. They listen to stories and rhymes in groups with increasing attention and recall. They know that print carries meaning and they use books carefully. They are interested in rhyme, rhythm and alliteration and as their skills develop they become able to hear and say the sounds in words, blend sounds to make simple words and segment the sounds in simple words. They learn to link sounds to letters and once all of these skills are securely in place, they become able to read words.

Once children know that print carries meaning, they begin to understand the difference between writing and drawing. At this time, they will give meaning to the marks that they make, showing this understanding, for example this is a picture of Daddy or I have written a shopping list. As their developing physical skills and their understanding of sounds, letters and words combine with their knowledge of books, they become able to apply this knowledge, using identifiable letters to represent sounds correctly as they begin writing.

Children learn to recite numbers, to count objects and actions with increasing accuracy and to recognise some numerals, sometimes correctly matching them to quantity. Understanding number involves frequent practising of these skills in different contexts. Knowing one more or one less than a given number enables children to begin to make simple calculations. Knowing that a quantity stays the same even when rearranged, understanding that the last number counted is the total number in a group and being able to look at an arrangement of objects and know how many items are there, without counting are just some of the skills that children need to learn in order to really understand number.

Children also learn about the properties of shapes, learning their names and considering their possible uses. They learn to use mathematical language as they compare weight, height, capacity and length. They learn to order and sequence familiar events and begin to use language relating to time or money.

Children are encouraged to talk about their own lives and those of family and friends. They make comparisons between different ways of life and occupations. They enjoy joining in with family customs and routines and develop an understanding and tolerance of other people’s beliefs and choices. They understand that they are unique and can talk about similarities and differences relating to family and friends.

As their understanding of growth, decay and changes over time develops, so they learn to show care and concern for living things, the natural world and the environment. They can talk about things that they have observed, especially in the natural world and they ask questions about where they live and the world around them. They look closely at similarities, differences pattern and change.

Children use technology with increasing independence. They know how to operate simple technological equipment. They know that information can be retrieved from a computer and they learn to complete a simple program on a computer.

Children sing songs, dance and explore rhythm and movement in response to music. They investigate how sounds, colours and textures can be changed. They use a range of construction materials to construct, learning skills in joining, balancing and later planning to achieve their desired effect and adapting their work where necessary. They learn to select and use the appropriate tools and techniques for their chosen task.

As well as learning to express their ideas through music and dance, children engage in imaginative role play and play with small world toys. They start to explore their first-hand experiences in their play and then begin to introduce storylines and narratives, together with ideas taken from their experiences of books and stories. They engage with other children exploring similar themes and they use available props to support their imaginative play.