Preschool Curriculum & Pedagogy | 3–4 Years
Preschool pathway · 3 to 4 years
Rich play.
Purposeful teaching.
Build a rich preschool curriculum through strong provision, thoughtful interaction and purposeful adult input.
Explore guidance, progression maps, planning and practical documents for preschool practitioners, nursery leaders and childminders working with children aged 3–4 years.
Choose what supports your practice now. There is no need to work through the whole suite or use every template.
A clear way into the suite
Where would you like to start?
01Understand the approachThree free documents to begin with. 02Focus on today’s priorityFind a useful starting point for your setting. 03Find a documentExplore the complete 9-section pathway.Included with All Access. One membership gives you access to the Curriculum & Pedagogy Suite and printable provision across Little Owls Resources. How access works →
Start here · Free guidance
Get to know the approach
Begin with these three documents. They introduce play-based preschool practice, explain the adult role and help you choose a useful route through the pathway.
How to Use the Preschool Pathway
Find your way around the suite and choose where to begin.
Read free guidance →
Preschool Pedagogy Position Statement
Explore how children learn and the adult role in extending their play and thinking.
Read free guidance →
Curriculum Overview & Rationale
Understand the purpose of the curriculum for the 3–4 year phase.
Read free guidance →Read first, then choose what helps. Explore the free guidance online and use the download options offered on each document page. The member documents below each have an information page to help you decide what you need.
Find a useful starting point
What would help your practice today?
Choose a priority to open the relevant part of the pathway. Return for another area whenever it becomes useful.
See the curriculum picture
Connect curriculum intent with progression and individual development.
Curriculum & progression →Review your preschool provision
Consider the spaces and resources that support purposeful play.
Continuous provision →Plan purposeful small groups
Find brief, playful opportunities for reading, maths and early writing.
Teaching & small groups →Extend language and thinking
Reflect on the interactions that help children build understanding.
Language & interaction →Make assessment useful
Connect what you notice with responsive planning and reporting.
Observation & assessment →Work with families through change
Share the curriculum and support continuity into Reception.
Parents & transition →The complete preschool pathway
Browse the documents
Open a section and choose View document for its information page and access options. Free guidance and online references are labelled; member downloads are included with All Access. Any availability note is shown beside the relevant entry.
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Welcome to Preschool
Understand the approach, then choose the documents that will help your practice.
Free orientation
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How To Use The Preschool (3-4 Years) Pathway
A free guide to choosing a useful route through the preschool pathway.
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Preschool Pedagogy Position Statement
Explore how children learn through play, interaction, relationships and meaningful experiences.
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Preschool Curriculum Overview & Rationale
Understand the purpose and distinctive priorities of the curriculum for children aged 3–4.
Putting the approach into practice
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Curriculum Overview: How Themes Fit Together (6 Main + 8 Mini)
See how six main themes and eight optional mini-themes connect with the wider curriculum.
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What Child-Led Does Not Mean
Clarify the adult role in supporting a child-led curriculum.
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Adult-Led With Purpose in Preschool
Consider how brief, purposeful adult-led experiences can extend learning.
Preschool Curriculum & Progression
Use the maps and progression ladders to deepen adult understanding, with each child’s individual development in mind.
Curriculum map
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Preschool Curriculum Map (By Term)
A term-by-term overview of the preschool curriculum.
Skills progression ladders
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Communication & Language
Communication and language progression with practitioner guidance.
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Early Reading
Early reading progression and readiness, with practitioner guidance.
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Early Writing
Early writing progression with practitioner guidance.
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Early Maths - Subitising, Counting & Comparing
Early mathematical progression in subitising, counting and comparing.
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Early Maths - Pattern, Shape & Spatial Awareness
Progression in pattern, shape and spatial awareness.
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PSED - Self-Regulation & Relationships
Personal, social and emotional development, including self-regulation and relationships.
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Fine Motor & Hand Control
Fine motor and hand control progression with practitioner guidance.
Progress & curriculum intent
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Strength-Based Progress Overview
An overview of the strength-based progress document for understanding individual development. See the document page for current availability.
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Our Preschool Curriculum Intent, Implementation & Impact - OFSTED Conversation Statement
Prompts to help explain your preschool curriculum intent, implementation and impact.
Preschool Themes & Medium-Term Planning
Use themes as flexible contexts for learning. Let children’s interests, observation and professional judgement shape how you use them.
Theme planning guidance
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Curriculum Overview | How Themes Fit Together
Understand how the main themes and optional mini-themes fit together.
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Preschool Theme Packs – FAQs
Read answers to common questions about using the preschool theme packs.
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How Practitioners Use This Curriculum Daily
Connect curriculum documents with everyday observation, provision and interaction.
Core themes · 6 weeks
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Autumn 1: This Is Me
A six-week core theme pack to use flexibly around children’s interests and learning.
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Autumn 2: Who Helps When…?
A six-week core theme pack to use flexibly around children’s interests and learning.
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Spring 1: Journeys & Transport
A six-week core theme pack to use flexibly around children’s interests and learning.
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Spring 2: Animals & Habitats
A six-week core theme pack to use flexibly around children’s interests and learning.
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Summer 1: Growing & Changing
A six-week core theme pack to use flexibly around children’s interests and learning.
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Summer 2: Water World
A six-week core theme pack to use flexibly around children’s interests and learning.
Optional mini-themes · 1–2 weeks
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Space
An optional 1–2 week mini-theme pack to draw on when it supports children’s interests.
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Dinosaurs & the Mystery Egg
An optional 1–2 week mini-theme pack to draw on when it supports children’s interests.
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Pets & Vets
An optional 1–2 week mini-theme pack to draw on when it supports children’s interests.
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Building & Construction
An optional 1–2 week mini-theme pack to draw on when it supports children’s interests.
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Traditional Tales
An optional 1–2 week mini-theme pack to draw on when it supports children’s interests.
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Beaches & Coastlines
An optional 1–2 week mini-theme pack to draw on when it supports children’s interests.
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Healthy Bodies & Wellbeing
An optional 1–2 week mini-theme pack to draw on when it supports children’s interests.
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Celebrations Around the World
An optional 1–2 week mini-theme pack to draw on when it supports children’s interests.
Continuous Provision in Preschool
Review the spaces, resources and everyday opportunities that support children’s independent play and exploration.
Provision packs & environment
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Universal Continuous Provision Packs (Preschool | 3–4 Years)
Guidance for 13 provision areas, including construction, small world, role play, mark making, maths, creative play and outdoors.
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Preschool Environment & Provision Map Audit Pack
Map and review the preschool environment and the opportunities your provision offers.
Using & reviewing provision
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How Continuous Provision Works in Our Preschool Curriculum
Explore how continuous provision supports the preschool curriculum.
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Continuous Provision Audit Checklist
A checklist to help review the quality and purpose of your provision.
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Continuous Provision FAQs (For Preschool Practitioners)
Read answers to common practitioner questions about continuous provision.
Adult-Led Teaching & Small Groups
Choose brief, playful teaching opportunities that respond to what you notice and connect with children’s wider play.
Early reading & phonics
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Phonics & Early Reading Pack
Guidance for phonics and early reading within preschool practice.
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Early Reading Curriculum System (24 Sessions)
24 mini sessions in eight themed sets, with vocabulary scaffolds, outdoor ideas, SEND and EAL adaptations, and provision follow-ups.
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Adult-Led Session Templates
Choose from five adult-led planning formats. The full pack is also listed in Planning Tools & Templates.
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Practitioner FAQs
Read practitioner questions and answers about the early reading curriculum.
Maths
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Maths Small Group Session Bank (24 Sessions)
24 small-group sessions across subitising, counting, comparing, number composition, spatial understanding, measures and pattern.
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How To Use Our Maths Session Bank & Strand Overview (A–F)
A free guide to the maths bank and its six strands, with download options.
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Adult-Led Session Templates
Choose from five adult-led planning formats. The full pack is also listed in Planning Tools & Templates.
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Practitioner FAQs
Read practitioner questions and answers about the maths session bank.
Writing & fine motor
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Fine Motor & Mark Making Mini Sessions (18)
18 mini sessions supporting core and shoulder stability, wrist movement, tool control and early pattern making.
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Early Writing Purpose Mini Sessions (6)
Six purposeful writing contexts: lists, labels, messages, maps, signs, and tickets and receipts.
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How These Two Session Banks Are Designed To Work Together
A free guide to connecting the fine motor and purposeful writing banks.
Language, Interaction & Thinking
Extend communication and thinking through warm, responsive adult interaction.
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How We Talk to Children
Reflect on adult language and the interactions that support learning.
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Five Sentence Stems For Preschool Practitioners
Five sentence stems to support everyday preschool interactions.
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If Interest Sparks — What Happens Next?
Consider how to respond when children’s interests spark new learning.
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Preschool Staff Guidance Posters
Browse five practitioner posters, also linked individually in the Welcome and Language sections.
Planning Tools & Templates
Choose a planning format because it supports clear thinking and useful decisions for your setting.
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Weekly Planning Templates (2 Versions)
Two weekly planning formats to adapt to your setting.
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How to Use the Preschool Weekly Planning Templates: Guide
Guidance for making purposeful use of the weekly planning templates.
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Adult-Led Session Planning Templates Pack
Five formats: universal; phonics and early language; maths; story and book talk; and PSED or self-regulation small groups.
Observation, Assessment & Reporting
Keep assessment proportionate and purposeful, with a focus on understanding and supporting each child.
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Observe–Assess–Plan (OAP) Toolkit - Preschool
Tools to connect observation, assessment and responsive planning.
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Progress Review (3–4 Years)
Short and long progress review formats, with guidance on completing them and sharing with families.
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Preschool Report Pack
End-of-term and end-of-year report templates, guidance and strength-based sentence starters.
Parent Partnership & Transition
Build shared understanding with families and support continuity as children move into Reception.
Transition to Reception
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Preschool Transition to Reception Pack
Support continuity with a child passport, practitioner handover, SEND information, family guidance and child voice.
Home–setting communication
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Our Preschool Curriculum (Age 3–4) | Parent-Facing Document
A parent-facing introduction to the preschool curriculum. Further parent literature is included in relevant planning packs.
Development is individual. Progression ladders are a reference for adult understanding, not a checklist of targets for children. Use themes, teaching ideas and documentation responsively to support each child’s learning.
The wider picture
Connect your preschool practice with birth–5
Explore the wider curriculum approach and shared setting guidance. The first two documents and the online glossary are free to explore. All Access includes the wider suite.
Curriculum & Pedagogy
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Little Owls Resources’ Curriculum Intent Statement
A free introduction to the intentions behind the Little Owls birth–5 curriculum.
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EYFS from Birth to 5: Curriculum Coherence & Pedagogical Throughline
A free overview of how the approach connects across the early years.
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Whole-Setting Curriculum Map (Birth-5): Curriculum Intent & Progression
Explore curriculum intent and progression across the setting.
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Pedagogy Guidance Document
Shared pedagogy guidance for birth–5 practice.
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Speech & Language Development - Setting Statement
A setting statement for speech and language development.
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EYFS Inspection-Facing Summaries
Summaries to help articulate your curriculum and pedagogy.
Early Years Schemas
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Early Years Schemas - Practitioner Toolkit | EYFS Birth-5
Schema cards with definitions, behaviours and age-related examples, plus an observation and responsive provision planning template.
EYFS Setting Policies
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EYFS Group Setting Policies Pack
25 policy documents with sign-off information and a folder contents list.
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Childminder Setting Policies Pack
25 policy documents, assistant or volunteer sign-off information and a folder contents list.
EYFS Glossary
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EYFS Glossary
Practitioner-friendly explanations of curriculum and pedagogy terms.
One membership · All Access
Guidance and resources, together.
All Access brings together the EYFS Curriculum & Pedagogy Suite and printable provision across Little Owls Resources, including the other age-group pathways.
Explore a document’s information page, then use its access link to sign in or join and open the available downloads.
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Find a document ↑Just getting to know us?
Read the free starting documents to explore the approach before you join.
Explore the free guidance ↑Explore another pathway
Use the pathways that reflect the children you care for. All Access includes the whole suite.
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