In EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) we are all Achievosaurus’s, and through play, we learn to become effective and motivated learners. At Samakee there are four Achievosaurus’s all together, each linking to an aspect of the Characteristics of Effective Learning.

‘Teachers’ skilful questioning clarifies understanding and extends students’ learning. Lessons are planned to be relevant and enriching to students’ lives. Teachers place the highest priority on developing students as inquisitive, self-motivated and collaborative learners. This starts from the early years when all children are Achievesaurus dinosaurs including Tryasaurus and Thinkasaurus and is further reflected in the staff’s promotion of the Samakee seven key values or ‘ivalues’ that run through the school.’ ISQM May 2018

The Achievosaurus’s are based on the Early Years Characteristics of Effective Learning: ‘Playing and Exploring’– Engagement, ‘Active Learning’– Motivation and ‘Creating and Thinking Critically’ – Thinking.  The Characteristics of Effective Learning underpin the seven areas of learning and describe the learning processes that occur throughout everyday activities and experiences.  We hope that the Learning Dinosaurs will encourage the children to remain effective and motivated learners and give them appropriate language to be able to explain the skills they use while learning. Let’s meet the four Achievosaurs’s…

Thinkasaurus has his own ideas, finds ways to solve problems, makes predictions, sees if he was right and thinks carefully about what he has learnt.

Tryasaurus tries his best and does not give up. He concentrates hard on activities and keeps on trying even when something is really difficult.

Explorasaurus likes to find out about things and uses all her senses to do so. She is good at pretending with things and people and asks questions to find things out. She has a can-do attitude towards her learning.

Samakeeasaurus actively celebrates diversity, works well and gets along with others of all nationalities and abilities and helps to keep our school a happy and positive one.

All teachers and TAs talk about the Achievosaurs and refer to them in all situations such as ‘Tom is being a Tryasaurus! Look at the way he is experimenting with different ways to fix the construction pieces together’ or ‘What a great idea! You are a Thinkasaurus today!’ or ‘Anne is being an Explorasaurus, asking questions and finding out more about volcanoes!’