Infant and early years teachers who find they never have enough time to plan lessons and research creative ways to keep pupils on task can now breathe more easily.

They should head for the Class Creations stand where the Creative Classroom range will be unveiled. The Somerset-based company produces time-saving resources that also enhance classroom creativity, and the new range provides a cross-curricular method for teaching Key Stage 1 foundation subjects.

The packs address national curriculum requirements with its six-week teaching programme, cutting down the time spent on planning. Creative Classroom explores the whole spectrum of topics using everyday objects such as sunflower seeds, disposable cameras and oil paints. Subjects covered include literacy, numeracy, RE, PE, PSHE and citizenship, geography, art and design, music, design and technology, science, ICT and history.

The first in the Creative Classroom series, How does your garden grow?, was developed in response to the DfES Growing Schools initiative. The seemingly simple task of planting and growing sunflower seeds gives pupils the opportunity to apply and develop a wide range of skills. For instance, Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers painting is used to teach history and art, and seeds are put into pupil-made shakers and used as musical instruments.

Other resources include topic bags for early years learning and jigsaw learning packs for KS1. Topics include gardening, transport, minibeasts, growing, on the farm, pond life, and the seashore. They contain colourful books, games and props related to early learning goals, with complete teachers’ notes and resources for record keeping.

The jigsaw learning packs for KS1 are created to provide a holistic programme of learning. They are available to support history, geography, design and technology and science - linking them together throughout the course of teaching. Each pack has six detailed lesson plans that connect the activities with learning objectives, key skills, cross-curricular links, national curriculum and assessment opportunities.

Class Creations also sell the Slavonic Abacus, a two-toned abacus which encourages a visual approach to mathematics learning, and is recommended by the Association of Teachers of Mathematics. It is also available with a set of teaching notes.

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