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Great questions about enabling environments

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Research on effectiveness of Reggio enabling environments 

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Research on effectiveness of Reggio enabling environments 

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Searching for evidence-based practice: A qualitative metasynthesis of the research on Reggio Emilia practices in Australian early years settings - Karen Guo, Elizabeth Rouse, 2025

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The Reggio Emilia Approach (REA) to early years education has attracted considerable attention over the past decades, with a growing interest in its adoption in…

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Bibliography from Learning Environments section of Birth to 5

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Bibliography from Learning Environments section of Birth to 5

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Learning environment Bibliography – Birth To 5 Matters

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Link to a Google Photos album of Bristol Continuous Provision

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Link to a Google Photos album of Bristol Continuous Provision

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This album is open, so anyone can add to it. Please remember to check your families photo sharing permissions before adding photos of children.

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Introduction to the Reggio Environment approach 

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Introduction to the Reggio Environment approach 

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Carefully designed learning provocations are offered to Reggio children to draw them in and engage them with the materials and ideas. A learning provocation is thoughtfully curated and beautifully presented by the Reggio educator. It should be an invitation to explore, investigate, learn, represent, and create.

You can learn more about what a learning provocation is HERE and 3 steps to setting up a learning provocation HERE.

The Reggio Emilia classrooms are often filled with natural light and have ordered and organised resources which provoke awe and wonder. The children are invited to investigate and represent their learning through a range of mediums - through their 100 languages.

Adopting the Reggio Emilia Philosophy in Australia

In Australian schools, you would see similar invitations in our play-based pedagogy or inquiry models where open exploration and investigation is the intent. You might like to learn more about

Your Reggio inspired classroom will need to meet the following conditions if you want to ensure you have the third teacher working for you and that your learning provocations are effective and honour those offered in the schools of Reggio Emilia.

An inquiry-based classroom where wonder and curiosity has been nurtured and valued.

An understanding of what it means to be a learner.

Respect and appreciation of the environment and the resources and people within it.

The ability of the children to engage independently with the resources and be able to share and collaborate.

The ability of the children to listen to each other and to build on each other's thinking.

The educators must have a strong understanding of the ACARA early childhood curriculum.

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Environment as the Third Teacher - My Teaching Cupboard

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Carefully designed learning provocations are offered to Reggio children to draw them in and engage them with the materials and ideas. A learning provocation is thoughtfully curated and beautifully presented by the Reggio educator. It should be an invitation to explore, investigate, learn, represent, and create.

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Podcast about Continuous Provision with Alistair Bryce Clegg 

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Podcast about Continuous Provision with Alistair Bryce Clegg 

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How the Reception Year can be more inclusive for children with SEND - Early Education

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The Reception Year should be accessible to every child as part of the EYFS, but top-down pressures for formal learning can inhibit this.

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Rethinking Curriculum: Play-based learning and continuous provision toolkit : My College

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This article has been published as part of the Rethinking Curriculum project, kindly funded by The Helen Hamlyn Trust. The importance of play In England, the importance of play-based learning is often recognised as an essential part of the Early Years education of children. Yogman et al. (2018) state that it […]

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Video of outdoor set up from Carterhatch school

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Video of outdoor set up from Carterhatch school

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Early Excellence Podcast | Exploring the Key Principles of Effective Continuous Provision

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Early years education is special and unique with its focus on child development, effective learning characteristics and holistic approaches. It's this breadth that can sometimes be baffling to those who view early years practice from afar. In fact, the early years is so unique that it has its own terminology: terms like 'enhancements' and 'continuous provision' are part of the language of early years practice, alongside phrases like "less is more".
If we're not careful though, the correct use of some of this terminology can be lost in translation. Let's take the term continuous provision. This is a term that's used a lot but can have very different meanings when reflected in our practice. So, what is continuous provision, and why is it important?

This article is also available as a podcast:

What is Continuous Provision?

Continuous provision describes all of the different provision areas which are available for your children to use every day. Within each of these areas of provision there should be a core range of resources that children can use all of the time, throughout the whole year. Planning effectively for continuous provision is crucial and involves a consideration of classroom layout and resourcing that will enable staff to offer a breadth of learning possibilities.

Why is Continuous Provision Important?

Carefully planned continuous provision will enable children to learn skills, will challenge their thinking and help them to embed concepts. It should also provide the context for a variety of learning conversations between children and adults with rich opportunities for modelling and extending speech and vocabulary. It is within this learning environment that the children will also develop key learning attributes. How your environment is planned, resourced, valued and used can impact positively, or negatively, on children's engagement, independence, collaboration, self-confidence, resilience and curiosity.
If you're looking to develop your continuous provision, you'll need to start by reflecting on some key principles:
The Importance of Defined Spaces

Children will be more likely to be engaged within your continuous provision areas if you create enclosed, clearly defined spaces. Creating provision areas in this way tends to lead to fewer distractions and also provides the context for children to collaborate, form relationships and communicate. As you create the spaces, think carefully about the layout of the room. Consider which areas are likely to work well together or alongside each other in order to promote mathematical thinking or meaningful writing opportunities.

Continuous Provision Resources

The resources and materials within each area of provision will need to earn their place based on the number of learning possibilities that they provide. Be careful not to overload provision areas with resources as too many materials will lead to clutter and potentially a lack of purpose in children's play. Use our Early Excellence audit tools to help you to reflect on the possibilities offered by different collections of resources. The audit tool is available here:

Consistency is Key

Once you have planned your classroom layout and then provided carefully selected resources, be consistent. It's very easy to fall into the trap of changing a room around on a regular basis or rotating resources. If you are confident that the resources and materials provided offer a broad range of possibilities, then allow the children to learn and develop by using them over an extended period of time. Changing resources on a regular basis will not support the children's independence and it won't lead to a progression of ideas. Continuous Provision should be continuous.

Accessing Learning

A well-planned learning environment should encourage children to follow their own interests and express their own ideas. Separate out your materials and resources into small containers or baskets so that the children can easily see what is available to them. Where appropriate, store some resources directly onto a shadow backed shelf. This works particularly well for storing wooden blocks and for tools and containers in the sand and water areas. Again, consistency is important for developing independent learners so store materials and resources in the same way every day.

Reflecting on Practice

So, as you reflect on your own learning environment, there are a number of key questions to consider:

Is your learning environment organised into clearly defined corners or bays?

Are resources stored effectively, in the same way every day?

Have all of the resources earned their place based on the number of learning possibilities that they provide?

Do all of your staff team recognise the importance of a consistent approach to the environment in order to nurture children's self- confidence and independence?

Early Excellence Support and Guidance

Don't forget: Our FREE Classroom Design Service and Outdoor Design Consultancy services are as popular as ever and do get booked quickly. If you are planning to refurbish your EYFS and/or KS1 classrooms, do get in touch now to arrange a discussion about your plans.

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Uncover the true meaning of continuous provision in early years education and how it supports child development and effective learning characteristics.

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Over the years, I've worked with countless early years settings to refine their approach to continuous provision. The goal? To transform it from a daunting task into an effective, child-centred practice. Let me share some insights that might help you on this journey.

First, let's revisit what continuous provision really means. It's not just about having resources constantly available. As I often say, it's a carefully curated selection of materials placed strategically by practitioners to support learning even when an adult isn't present. This aligns with recent research by Kathy Brodie (2021), who emphasises that effective continuous provision should be "challenging, engaging, and linked to children's interests and developmental needs."

The backbone of good continuous provision is assessment. Your environment must be intrinsically linked to what your children know, can do, and need to learn next. This is where the gap and strength analysis comes in - a tool I've found invaluable in my consultancy work. By identifying areas where your cohort needs support or extension, you can tailor your provision accordingly.

However, it's crucial to remember that continuous provision isn't about creating adult-led activities in disguise. I've seen many settings fall into this trap, particularly when trying to incorporate specific learning objectives or topics. For instance, putting autumn leaves and conkers in the sand tray doesn't automatically make it meaningful continuous provision for exploring seasonal changes.

Instead, we need to think about the skills and experiences children naturally engage with in each area. This is where the concept of 'common play behaviours' comes in - something I've developed and refined over years of observation and research. By identifying these behaviours (e.g., pouring, filling, and emptying in the water area), we can provide resources that support skill progression from emergent to extending levels.

This approach aligns with Fisher's (2016) emphasis on 'provocations' in early years environments. By offering open-ended, challenging resources linked to children's current abilities and interests, we create opportunities for deep, meaningful learning through play.

One significant shift I've advocated for is moving away from designated 'basic skills' areas like writing tables or maths corners. While well-intentioned, these can often limit rather than extend learning. Instead, I encourage practitioners to weave opportunities for literacy, numeracy, and other key skills throughout the entire environment. This approach is supported by current research on effective early years practice, such as the work of Pascal et al. (2019), who highlight the importance of integrated, play-based learning experiences.

The role of the adult in continuous provision cannot be overstated. Gone are the days when we viewed play as something children do while waiting for 'real' learning to happen. Instead, skilled practitioners observe, scaffold, and teach within the context of children's self-chosen play. This aligns with Vygotsky's concept of the 'zone of proximal development' and more recent work on sustained shared thinking (Siraj-Blatchford, 2009).

When it comes to planning, I advocate for a flexible approach using what I call the 'provision pyramid'. At the base, we have our core continuous provision, informed by assessment and common play behaviours. Above this, we add enhancements linked to children's interests, current topics, or specific skills we want to develop. Finally, at the top, we have adult-led activities that complement and extend the learning happening through play.

It's worth noting that this approach requires a shift in mindset for many practitioners. We need to move away from activity-led planning and embrace a more responsive, child-centred approach. As Wood (2013) argues, effective early years practice requires us to balance child-initiated and adult-guided experiences, always keeping the unique child at the heart of our planning.

Implementing meaningful continuous provision takes time and reflection. It's not about overhauling your entire environment overnight. Start by critically examining your current provision. Ask yourself: Why do we have this area? What learning is it supporting? Are children engaging with it in the way we intended?

Remember, the goal is to create an environment where children can explore, investigate, and learn independently. As I often say, it should look like play and feel like play - but have a lot of rigour behind it. When we get it right, we see higher levels of engagement, wellbeing, and ultimately, progress and attainment.

In conclusion, effective continuous provision is about creating a space that exists both outside and with the adult, enabling children to consolidate what they already know, practice the skills they are learning, and apply their knowledge to new and unfamiliar situations. It's a journey, not a destination - but one that's incredibly rewarding for both practitioners and children alike.

More information about Continuous Provision
Books Buy: Continuous Provision Buy: Continuous Provision: The Skills Online Training: References: Brodie, K. (2021). The Holistic Care and Development of Children from Birth to Three. Routledge. Fisher, J. (2016). Interacting or Interfering? Improving Interactions in the Early Years. Open University Press. Pascal, C., Bertram, T., & Rouse, L. (2019). Getting it right in the Early Years Foundation Stage: A review of the evidence. Early Education. Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2009). Conceptualising progression in the pedagogy of play and sustained shared thinking in early childhood education: A Vygotskian perspective. Educational and Child Psychology, 26(2), 77-89. Wood, E. (2013). Play, Learning and the Early Childhood Curriculum. SAGE Publications.

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Continuous Provision: Making It Meaningful and Manageable

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Over the years, I've worked with countless early years settings to refine their approach to continuous provision.

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Continuous provision in EYFS - Early Education

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Continuous provision in early years settings is about providing an environment in which the children can explore and learn through their play

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Handwriting in EY - Ruth Swailes' response to the Writing Framework

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Handwriting in EY - Ruth Swailes' response to the Writing Framework

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Ruth Swailes - Independent Education Consultant

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Handwriting, Readiness and Rhythm: Finding Balance Between Policy and Practice. - Ruth Swailes

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When the DfE Writing Framework (2025) landed, many of us read the line about children in Reception being taught to "form lower-case and capital letters correctly" and felt that familiar flicker of tension. On paper it sounds reasonable - who wouldn't want children to write confidently and fluently?

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BPA EYFS info slides for BCC network v2 2

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Reception Network July (2) reduced size for padlet

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Mapping progression to continuous provision

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Early Excellence Continuous Provision Planning Guide 

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Early Excellence Continuous Provision Planning Guide 

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Ideas and activities for Outdoors from Forestry England 

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Ideas and activities for Outdoors from Forestry England 

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ForestryEngland_Jigsaw Activity Sheet - EYFS _ KS1-compressed