
At Tops, we understand the profound impact that play has on a child’s development. Play is not just a frivolous pastime; it is the foundation upon which essential skills are built. Schemaplay, a term that might be new to some, holds the key to unlocking a world of holistic growth and learning for our little ones.
In this captivating blog series, we embark on an enlightening journey to explore the concept of Schemaplay and its immense significance in early childhood education at Tops. We’ve had the privilege of sitting down with nursery managers from diverse backgrounds, each with a unique perspective on the power of Schemaplay in nurturing young minds.

Through these interviews, we aim to shed light on how Schemaplay intertwines play and learning to create an enriching experience for children. From igniting their imagination to fostering social skills and building strong foundations, Schemaplay is truly a magical process that shapes the way children perceive and interact with the world.
Join us as we delve into the minds of passionate nursery managers who recognize the immense value of Schemaplay and have wholeheartedly embraced it as an integral part of their early childhood education approach. Get ready to be inspired by their stories, experiences, and valuable insights into how Schemaplay paves the way for a lifetime of learning and growth.

Whether you are a parent seeking to understand the educational journey your child embarks upon or an educator eager to enrich your teaching practices, this blog series is a treasure trove of knowledge. Unleash the power of Schemaplay with us, and together, let’s unlock the boundless potential that lies within each child, one play at a time.
I spoke with Ciara, the nursey manager at Devonport to discuss about Schemaplay in their nursery
What did you do to achieve Schemaplay
To achieve Schemaplay each member of staff completed a six observation case study on a key child of their choice, shown knowledge and understanding of their child’s interests and was able to show this throughout their case studies.
Why do you think it’s important
It is really important as this enables the staff to be able to achieve the most out of their child’s day, the child is then able to have the confidence to develop in a setting they feel comfortable an safe in and also children knowing their key worker is fully aware of their interests and skills creates a fantastic bond where we see children’s emotional development sky rocket as well as the other 7 areas of development.

Changes you have observed since starting this journey
The quality of education within my provision has excelled, the staff spend more quality time with their key children now as it is based around observing and locking in the children’s skills and interest there is no need to be writing and being on tablets anymore. I can now ask any staff member about their individual key children and they could talk for days about their development, skills, likes and dislikes with more confidence than ever before.
Things you are looking to do in the future to support your schema play accreditation
Just to continue providing the best quality childcare for our children and also new staff training them to get their accreditation, also as a schema play trainer I look forward to putting my skills further afield and supporting nurseries and staff as much as I can within my company.

Anything you want parents to know about Schemaplay at your nursery
We have a display that is available for parents so they can also look out for their own child’s schemes and schemes which we also share on face book whilst at home, this also helps the keyworkers learn about their interests at home as they may show different skills at home and at nursery.
it was an amazing achievement to receive the Schemaplay award and we will continue to use Schema play in our every day practice.
I hope you enjoyed reading this, We’ll be regularly sharing these posts where we engage with Tops nursery managers regarding Schemaplay every two weeks. Subscribe to the blog to stay updated.