Playful Pedagogy

Learning Through Play 

At St. Cadoc’s Primary School and Nursery Class, we are committed to ensuring that our learners are given suitable opportunities to learn through play. In 2009, the Scottish Government called for schools to provide children with the opportunity to develop skills for later life and work in order to allow our young children to confidently face challenges which they will inevitably face in society and in the workplace. 

Skills which are fundamental when facing challenges are creativity and imagination as we must use our existing knowledge and skills creatively, innovatively and imaginatively to create new knowledge. The Scottish Government defines successful learners in many ways, one being the “ability to think creatively and independently” (2009:iii). 

Learning through play involves children being exposed to many opportunities where they are intrinsically motivated to think creatively, critically, imaginatively and work independently to overcome problems. Furthermore, by tapping into a child's natural urge to play, responding to their interests and providing them with the resources to carry out their own enquiries, children are excited by learning and gain the necessary skills to be life long learners. As children actively engage with and joyfully discover their world, they gain skills which the world of work increasingly call for including teamwork, resilience and innovation.

Our Primary 1 and 2 classes are fully play based and take on Julie Fisher's triangular approach to learning and teaching. There is a balance of child led, adult led and adult initiated learning which takes place throughout the day. We truly value play as a powerful catalyst for children's learning and recognise that there is no space between play & learning. For this reason, all aspects of the triangular approach are given equal status within our Early Years classrooms.