Continuous Provision Case Study at Stoke Primary School - Blog 1

18/10/2024

Continuous Provision Case Study at Stoke Primary School - Blog 1

Continuous Provision Case Study at Stoke Primary School - Blog 1

In this first blog of a year long series, I will share an introduction to the project I am working on with Stoke Primary School, alongside the wonderful Ellen Parker, Assistant Headteacher and curriculum lead. We will explore the inception of the project, our implementation planning to date, and the aims of the project. While this blog is collated by myself (Emma), it is a shared project with much input from Ellen including quotes and sections written by her. We view this project as a joint exploration and evaluation, which we plan to blog at least half termly about, and we are excited to share it with you.

What’s the connection?

Ellen and I met through a women’s educational leadership network, we were instantly interested in each other’s work with our common ground of Early Years, play and the use of continuous provision into KS1 and beyond. We started to discuss our beliefs about the current education system and curriculum implications. From my experience in Headship and Ellen’s teaching and leadership experience including working with the Rethinking Curriculum project, we found strong common ground and a passionate belief that we can do things differently.

What did Stoke want?

Stoke Primary school, led by Headteacher and innovative thinker, Mat Ascroft serves a diverse pupil population. With high levels of Pupil Premium, Pupils for whom English is an additional Language and, significant transience, it is a school focussed heavily on how it can best serve it’s pupils. Ellen, Assistant Headteacher at Stoke, and Mat reached out to me following an Ofsted inspection and ongoing discussions about their relatively new approach to using continuous provision in year 1 (starting in September 2023). Interestingly one of the inspection threads of inquiry was on seeing ‘visible’ learning in the Year 1 classroom through the continuous provision approach and one inspector asked…

‘but what about the children who no longer need play?’


This singular comment could be praised for the inception of this project. There is so much to explore here:

  • How should we measure which children don’t need to play anymore?
  • At what age is play no longer needed?
  • What purpose does play serve?
  • How should we measure which children don’t need to play anymore?

And, these questions don’t even begin to question the issue of an Ofsted inspector not having fundamental understanding of child development and the research that sits behind play as a pedagogical approach. But, that’s a whole other blog (rant!)

What we know is that this was questioned, and together Ellen and I are seeking to explore the impact of the continuous provision approach in an attempt to gather more concrete knowledge and data that tells us about when, if ever, children no longer need play. While some schools might have taken Ofsted’s route of questioning as a signal to alter the approach, Stoke have done the opposite. They are extending the approach into Year 2, because they know the positive impact it is having. They want to develop their understanding and strive for improvements within their practise, but stop absolutely not! I think we can all take something from this brave bold step!

The Case study:

Ellen, Mat and I have together devised a case study project which will last a year. We have chosen to use the deep rooted commitment to meeting children where they are that Stoke has, and to use well-being and involvement as one method of exploring impact. Using the Blackpool Transition Project as inspiration, we are using the Leuven scales alongside measurement of key skill retention. https://abcdoes.typepad.com/files/transition_document.pdf

Here is the project overview:

Case Study Project Title:

A case study exploring the impact of, and conditions affecting, a continuous provision pedagogical and curricular approach on well-being, involvement and retention of skills application for children in Year 2.

Short Title:

What is the impact of a continuous provision approach in KS1?

Specific objectives of the project:

  • Compare the levels of well-being and involvement and the retention of skill application for children learning through a continuous provision pedagogical and curricular approach and those in a more formal environment.
  • Explore the impact of a continuous provision pedagogical and curricular approach
  • Explore the conditions affecting the implementation of a continuous provision approach.

We will explore more in following blogs about the Leuven scales, the skills chosen for exploring retention and the methods for data collection. The project will be carried out over 1 year, starting in July 2024. We have already explored the affecting factors in the school’s decision to use a Continuous Provision Approach including outcomes for pupils. My role in the project is to act as an external project lead, bringing challenge to the current approach and guiding the data collection and reflection. I am also exploring the factors affecting implementation such as the view of staff, needs of pupils and challenges to the approach. I will visit the school 4 times within the year and have regular meetings with Ellen and Mat online across the year. I was extremely excited to make my first visit at the end of September!

Ellen Shares:

"As we begin this project, my primary goal is to deepen our understanding of the continuous provision approach and its impact on our Year 2 students at Stoke Primary School. I’m eager to explore how this pedagogical model can enhance children's well-being and skill retention, particularly for our diverse pupil population. This project feels particularly significant to me, not only because it addresses key educational questions but also because it allows us to challenge conventional beliefs about play in education. I’m thrilled to collaborate with Emma on this journey, and I believe that our findings will not only inform our practice at Stoke but also contribute to the broader conversation about effective teaching strategies for our youngest learners."

What’s next?

The next blog will share my first visit to Stoke!