Share activities and the curriculum
How do the Share activities complement the Foundation Stage curriculum?
The activity packs, CD and rhyme booklet represent a rich resource of fun activities based on the six areas of learning in the Foundation Stage curriculum:
- Personal, social and emotional development
- Communication, language and literacy
- Mathematical development
- Knowledge and understanding of the world
- Physical development
- Creative development.
All the activities develop a number of competencies, skills and concepts across several areas of learning. They support children’s progress along the developmental ‘Stepping Stones’ towards the Early Learning Goals. Throughout the activities the emphasis is on fun, practical learning. The Share activities encourage parents and children to talk together and promote the great value of learning through play.
How do the Share activities complement the curriculum at Key Stage 1?
There are three Share books to support children’s learning throughout Key Stage 1. Share book 1: Learning together, Share book 2: Living and growing, Share book 3: Out and about. These Share activity books complement the learning objectives set out in the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy frameworks for teaching. The Share activities are also relevant to the range of skills and knowledge set out in the National Curriculum. Oral work is a key feature of the Share activities. Parents are encouraged to support the development of their child’s speaking and listening skills by talking and working together on a wide range of fun activities. Share promotes learning through ‘hands-on’ experiences. Throughout the activities parents are encouraged to make use of their home and local community as a valuable learning tool.
How do the Share activities complement the curriculum at Key Stage 2?
There are four Share books to support children’s learning throughout Key Stage 2. Junior Sharebook 1: Up and doing, Junior Sharebook 2: Give and take, Junior Sharebook 3: You, me, us, Junior Sharebook 4: Learning for life.
These Share activity books complement the learning objectives set out in the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy frameworks for teaching. The Share activities are also relevant to the range of skills and knowledge set out in the National Curriculum. In addition, the Junior Sharebooks raise parents’ awareness of the importance of helping their child develop independent learning skills such as researching, making decisions and forming opinions. Activities within the Junior Sharebooks 3 and 4 also prepare children for the transition from primary to secondary school. Parents and children are encouraged to talk about the move from one school to another and to think ahead about what will make the change easier.
How do the Share activities complement the curriculum at Key Stage 3?
There are three Share books to support young people’s learning at Key Stage 3. Senior Sharebook 1: Can do!, Senior Sharebook 2: Champion!, Senior Sharebook 3: Sum it up!
At Key Stage 3, Share has incorporated ‘citizenship’ activities, based on the three strands of Citizenship education: social and moral responsibility, community involvement and political literacy. There is a practical emphasis in the Share activities, with intergenerational and family discussion, planning, research, negotiation and problem solving, all linked to literacy, numeracy and ICT.
A key feature of Share at Key Stage 3 is the introduction of activities to help parents help their children settle in at secondary school. These include the development of children’s time management and organisational skills and parents’ understanding of the Key Stage 3 curriculum and school’s policies. Health and safety and PSHE activities also feature within the Share activities.
What is common to Share at the Foundation Stage, Key Stages 1, 2 and 3?
The common structure of the Share activities supports parents in developing their understanding of the learning process and in setting up learning activities at home. All Share activities contain the following:
- a key point for parents which highlights the learning value of the activity
- a Skills used section which lists the main skills that a child will practice through participation in the activity
- activity instructions, which give detailed guidance on how to do the activity
- what next? which gives support in extending the activity.
In addition, throughout all the Share packs and books there are 'Help pages' and 'Comments pages'.
The 'Help pages' are designed to give parents extra information to help with some of the activities. The extra information also increases parents' awareness of the curriculum for the Foundation Stage and the National Curriculum and develops their understanding of the way children learn.
The 'Comments pages' encourage the parent and child to keep track of what they have done and what they would like to do next. The 'Comments pages' and specific Share activities highlight the importance of parents praising their child’s efforts and recording and celebrating achievements. This supportive structure enables parents to gain confidence in using the materials. In addition, the common structure of the Share activities empowers parents to continue supporting their child’s learning as their child moves through the key stages.
Log in to the members' area to download a range of activities. Contact the Share team for your password.
Read facilitator interviews on Share, or find out about Share resources.
