How do young children learn best?

Anyone who has spent time with young children knows that they are natural explorers. They learn by questioning, experimenting, building, creating, observing and talking. Research supports this instinct, highlighting the importance of play, interaction and discovery in helping young children make sense of the world around them and develop the foundations for future learning.

For this reason, our EYFS curriculum is built around carefully planned experiences that encourage children to think deeply, communicate clearly and engage fully with the world around them. Adults play a vital role in this process, extending children's thinking through rich conversation, skilful questioning and purposeful interactions that help them make connections between ideas and experiences.

Whether children are constructing with blocks, investigating natural materials, retelling a story through role play, solving a practical problem or exploring mathematical patterns, they are developing far more than knowledge alone. They are learning to persevere, to collaborate, to reflect, to communicate and to approach challenges with confidence.

Through Forest School, exploratory play and regular access to green outdoor spaces, children develop a sense of wonder about the natural world whilst building resilience, independence and self-belief. We want children to understand that challenge is not something to avoid, but something from which they can learn and grow.