Early Development curriculum gives pupils the starting point they need to access subject-specific learning.
Upon completing Step One pupils:
can respond consistently to familiar people, events and objects.
can react to new people, events and objects.
are starting to show interest in new people, events and objects.
can respond to new sounds, smalls, tastes and textures.
can reach for and hold objects (palm of one and two hands) and can use a reflexive grip when an object is placed in their hand.
can use a controlled reach and release.
can accept and engage in co-active exploration.
can pick objects up using their thumb and one finger, can transfer objects from one hand to the other and track objects with their eyes.
can establish eye contact for a few seconds.
can let an adult help them with toileting.
can begin to be proactive in their interactions with familiar people, events and objects.
can communicate consistent preferences.
can recognise familiar people, events and objects.
can perform actions by trial and improvement and can remember learned responses over short periods of time.
can cooperate with shared exploration and shared participation and can accept or refuse an offered object.
can bang 2 objects in their hands together and poke and point with their index finger.
can indicate preferences towards new sounds, smells, tastes and textures and are beginning to manipulate and explore objects.
am starting to indicate if they want more of an objects or activity and if they want an activity or object to stop and are beginning to express their immediate needs and feelings.
can begin to understand that they have an effect on their environment.
can sit on the toilet and occasionally use it.
can begin to communicate intentionally.
can seek attention through eye contact, gesture, action.
can request an object and event.
can request interaction with a person.
can participate in shared activities with less support.
can sustain concentration for short periods.
can explore materials in increasingly complex ways and observe the results of their own actions with interest.
can remember learned responses over more extended periods.
can begin to modify their behaviour towards new stimulus.
can begin to watch and imitate an adult in order to solve a problem.
can try and find a solution to a highly motivating but sabotaged activity.
can bang on an object to try and gain a motivating activity.
can clearly indicate if they want more or less of an activity.
can smile when socially approached and laugh in response to play.
can hold a spoon with hand over hand support and can feed themselves finger foods.
can let an adult know if they are hungry, thirsty.
can hold a cup with adult support.
can begin to help undress/dress with limited actions.
can cooperate with an adult when washing their hands.
can let an adult know if they are wet or dirty.
can use emerging conventional communication.
can greet familiar people using the same response each time.
can initiate interactions and activities.
can remember learned responses over increasing periods of time and can anticipate known events.
can respond to choices with actions or gestures.
can actively explore objects for extended periods and actively engage in events and activities for extended periods.
can apply potential solutions systematically to problems eg can look in the right place for hidden objects.
can play next to and tolerate other children nearby.
can begin to understand the use of the word no.
can settle or calm themselves quickly once distressed.
can play peek a boo and simple turn taking games.
can respond to facial expressions and attempt to copy facial expressions.
can imitate simple actions/signs previously seen eg clap, copy an adult’s action with an object or imitate a pretend play action.
can sign hello and goodbye.
can explore new environments with support.
can vocalise in response to adult speech.
can engage in solitary play or occupy themselves for short periods.
can anticipate that their actions will have expected results.
