By Katie Jenkins - Reception Teacher at Sacred Heart Primary School
COntInuOus pRovIsiOn In eArlY yEarS
Where do you start? Katie
Whether you’re brand new to early years or have been teaching for years, setting up continuous provision can feel daunting. Knowing where to start and what you need can send anybody into a spin. But don’t worry, this simple guide will walk you through the basics and hopefully help you feel more classroom-ready!
What is continuous provision?
Continuous provision is the bread and butter of your classroom. These are the everyday resources that stay out all year round. Think of them as your supermarket staples rather than your special buys.
These resources aren’t linked to a particular topic or theme. Instead, they’re chosen to support everyday independent play and exploration. For example, in my creative area, I always have felt tips, pencils, crayons, glue sticks, masking tape and coloured paper available. I might add extra resources throughout the year, but the core resources are always available for the children to access.
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Begin by deciding which areas are essential for your classroom. This will look different for everyone depending on your space, resources and cohort. If space is limited, could sand and water be moved outdoors to create more room inside for a home corner or creative area? Could construction and small world be combined to make better use of the space available?
Once you’ve decided on your areas, think carefully about the resources you want in each one. Choose open-ended resources that children can return to again and again, using them in different ways as their ideas and confidence develop.
Expect trial and error
You will never get it right first time, and that’s absolutely fine. You may find that an area you spent hours creating isn’t used much, while another becomes so popular it needs twice the space. What works brilliantly for one class might not work for the next.
Continuous provision should grow and change with your children. Don’t be afraid to move things around, swap resources or rethink your layout. There’s no need to put every resource out on day one either. Start with a small selection in each area and gradually introduce more as children learn how to use and care for them. Being flexible is far more important than getting it perfect.
For more ideas and inspiration visit
ypo.co.uk/littlelearners
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