Continuous provision - a series of carefully-planned classroom areas that are available for children to use all day, every day - has long been a staple of early years classrooms, but more and more primary schools are now extending the approach into Year 1 or even further up the school.

This is because learning through continuous provision has a lot to offer. Research from the University of Cambridge, for example, shows that guided play-based learning can be as effective, or sometimes more effective, than direct instruction for pupils up to the age of 8.

However, it is easy to get continuous provision wrong, resulting in a classroom that feels chaotic or a set-up that looks great but doesn’t support effective learning.

So how can you do continuous provision well?

Continuous provision in Year 1

Whether you’re new to this approach or planning some changes for September, here are some top tips to help you get started and make the approach work for your class.

Start with the children

No two cohorts are the same, so no two classrooms should look the same either. Your continuous provision should reflect the individuals in your class, rather than some “Pinterest board” ideal.

Start by taking a look at your early years foundation stage (EYFS) data. If this shows that writing is a weaker area, think about how you can make writing accessible across your provision. Perhaps you could include labels to write on in the construction area or clipboards in the role-play area to take “doctor’s notes”. These are simple additions to inspire writing across the classroom.

You can also talk to the teacher who taught your class in Reception. Find out which resources and areas the children loved and borrow them - yes, literally; pinch the role-play kitchen or the sandpit for a while. Familiar spaces and toys help massively with the September transition.

Finally, consider what pupils need right now, and not what you want the room to look like by Easter. September in Year 1 should still have big EYFS energy. Think home corner, construction area, small world play and fine motor activities.

Focus on the objectives

The Year 1 curriculum is a big shift in both content and pace compared with the EYFS Framework. There’s a lot to cover, so you’ve got to be smart about how you weave curriculum priorities into your provision.

Start with the objectives, not the theme. It’s easy to fall into the trap of asking, “What pirate-y stuff can I put out to match our English unit?”

Instead ask, “What resources would help children to practise partitioning numbers to 20? How can I build those into the LEGO table?”

Once you step out of topic mode and into objective mode, your provision will become a much more powerful tool for helping children to meet those end-of-year expectations.

Not every objective can be effectively covered through provision (handwriting and phonics, for example), but a lot can be consolidated through independent exploration. Maths, science, art, DT, even geography all lend themselves to hands-on activities.

Here are a few quick wins:

• Add rulers and scales to the construction area for measuring.
• Display examples of folds and joins from DT in the creative area.
• Pop maps and landmarks in the small world or construction area to support geography.

Remember, provision should give children opportunities to practise what they’ve learned in ways that feel purposeful and engaging.

Tap into interests

Here’s the golden rule: children engage with what they love.

So if you want more writing, don’t just put out “my weekend” writing frames. Add Disney notepads, Marvel speech bubbles or photos from a recent trip for children to annotate.

Got a class of LEGO lovers? Add photos of human and physical features from around the world to a LEGO area for them to build.

If your pupils love role play, turn this area into a class shop, to sneak in some coin recognition and counting practice.

The better you know your class, the easier this becomes. The goal is to make your provision something they want to dive into, not something they’re told to do. That’s when real learning happens.

Model, model and model some more

This is probably the most overlooked but most important part of setting up provision.

Don’t assume that children know what to do with it just because it looks inviting. Some might dive in naturally, but most need support. Without it, you’ll likely end up with a lot of low-level play and even more mess. 

In those first few weeks in September, you need to be in provision with them. Play with them. Show them how to use each area, how to look after resources, how to share and challenge themselves. Use this time to set your expectations, while also building relationships.

Model how to record learning if you want evidence. Show them what ”good” looks like, so when you step back, they know what they’re aiming for.

Taking the time to “set your stall” in September will save you so much time and energy later on.

And don’t forget to stay present in provision throughout the year. It’s easy to get pulled into group work and leave provision to run itself, but dipping back in regularly keeps expectations high and engagement strong.

Continuous provision is a journey. You’ll tweak, adapt, make mistakes and improve. That’s part of the process.

Keep the children at the heart of it, stay focused on learning, and remember that you’re building a classroom that fosters independence, creativity and deep understanding.

Katie Jenkins is a key stage 1 lead and teacher

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