ABSTRACT
This case study looks at how we involved children in auditing our environment, as part of our annual Standard Quality Improvement Plan (SQIP). Listening to children is embedded in the Cowgate philosophy. Here at Cowgate, childhood is viewed as a powerful concept. Children are viewed as protagonists and their play drives the daily life of the nursery. Staff work alongside children whilst they play, observing, supporting and extending the learning. Like all educational establishments in Scotland, Cowgate must create a SQIP each year. This could easily become an adult-only activity, especially given the very young children and babies that we have at the setting. Young children are often excluded from giving their views about nursery life because adults assume that young children cannot contribute. At Cowgate, we involve children in the SQIP using mind mapping as a tool. This involves spoken dialogue as well as observations of children’s non-verbal expressions. Mind mapping offers the chance for wide participation, dialogue and imaginative creativity – and during a formal administrative process like the SQIP, children’s participation helps create a document that truly highlights the voices and contributions of the diverse people who are in the early years space.
