Our curriculum & ethos

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Our Curriculum

At The Little School, our curriculum is carefully designed around one simple belief: every child is unique and deserves an environment where they feel happy, secure, inspired, and excited to learn.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for everything we do, guiding children’s learning, development, and care through seven key areas of learning:

Communication and Language
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Physical Development
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts and Design However, for us, a curriculum is so much more than a list of subjects. It is about creating meaningful experiences that spark curiosity, nurture confidence, and develop a lifelong love of learning.

We know that children learn best when they feel valued and supported. Through positive relationships, enabling environments, and experiences tailored to each child's interests and stage of development, we help every child flourish. Our teaching embraces the Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning by encouraging children to play and explore, actively engage in their learning, and become creative and critical thinkers.

Our Ethos

At the heart of our curriculum is our commitment to children's health, happiness, and wellbeing. We believe that healthy, confident children become resilient and enthusiastic learners.

We achieve this by:

Spending extensive time outdoors in our Forest School and gardens, encouraging exercise, exploration, and a connection with nature.
Growing our own fruit and vegetables and learning about nutrition and healthy lifestyles.
Supporting emotional wellbeing through our Happy Minds approach, helping children understand and manage their emotions and develop skills that will benefit them throughout life.

What We Want Every Child to Become

Tolerant – Respecting and celebrating differences, values, cultures, and the world around them.

Resilient – Developing confidence, perseverance, and the belief that they can overcome challenges and achieve their potential.

Unique – Recognising and celebrating each child's individuality, interests, talents, and aspirations.

Creative – Inspiring imagination through a curriculum rich in music, art, storytelling, awe, and wonder.

Knowledgeable – Providing meaningful experiences that build understanding and create strong foundations for future learning.

Engaged – Encouraging curiosity and active participation, enabling children to make excellent progress across all areas of learning.

Connected – Building strong relationships, learning to collaborate, resolve conflicts, and show kindness and respect to others.

Our curriculum is continually evolving, shaped by our children, our families, and our shared belief that childhood should be filled with joy, discovery, adventure, and opportunities to thrive. At The Little School, we don't simply prepare children for school—we help them develop the confidence, resilience, and love of learning that will support them throughout their lives.