Intent

At Field Lane, we believe every child deserves an education filled with wonder and memorable experiences that nurture their natural creativity and curiosity, along with important skills and knowledge. We see Early Years as a special time for learning, where learners build the confidence and independence needed to become enthusiastic, self-reliant learners. Our early education approach empowers learners by tapping into their love for learning, recognizing their individual skills and talents, and inspiring them to aim high and do their best.

We want our learners to be:

Ready to learn: Learners feel positive and confident about learning. They are both physically and emotionally prepared, taking pride in their achievements.

Resourceful: Learners take initiative, choose and use resources on their own, and confidently bring their ideas into their learning.

Reflective: Learners are curious and eager to learn from what they see, experience, and do.

Resilient: Learners are willing to keep trying and stay engaged in their learning, even when it gets tough. They learn to solve problems using different approaches.

Reciprocal: Learners work together and understand how their peers contribute to their learning.

We believe that when learners are highly engaged, they achieve more. That is why our curriculum is built around topics every half-term, focusing on what interests the learners. We aim to provide hands-on learning experiences that are genuine and meaningful.

Enabling Environment

The environment where we learn is essential for building the knowledge, skills, and positive attitudes needed for enjoyable and effective learning. Our goal is to offer excellent indoor and outdoor learning experiences in thoughtfully designed spaces, allowing students to explore freely and use resources in creative and independent ways. The learning environment supports both teacher-led instruction and child-initiated activities, whether students are working alone or in small or large groups.

Pedagogical Approach 

We are dedicated to taking a caring and attentive approach to the well-being and growth of our learners. We believe that learning is most successful when they are happy and feel safe. Building strong, trusting relationships through meaningful interactions is key, as it helps us appreciate children’ interests and support their new learning in a thoughtful way.

Recognising that all learners start Field Lane with varied experiences, we provide learning opportunities that widen their knowledge and understanding of the world, with ambitious expectations for all learners. Our curriculum celebrates diversity, supporting every unique child’s social, emotional, cultural and moral development.

Those learners with particular needs, including SEND, are supported appropriately allowing them to be successful.

Implementation

Our curriculum is broad and balanced, building on the knowledge, understanding and skills learners bring with them from their varied starting points.  The aim of our curriculum is to develop a love of learning through:

• Providing child initiated activities in line with learners’s starting points which enhance their learning and impact on progress. 
• Developing an effective and engaging environment that is rich in language whilst taking into consideration the need for the learners to be able to access all areas of learning, both inside and outside.
• Providing high quality interactions with adults that demonstrate an impact on the progress of all. 
• Ensuring that ‘The Unique Child’ is at the forefront of adult’s interactions and adopting a nurturing approach for those pupils who might need some reassurance to enable them to succeed.
• Using high quality questioning and interactions to check understanding and address misconceptions.
• Staff acting as role models to the learners they teach in order for learners to develop their own speaking and listening skills.
• Carefully assessing, through observations and interactions used to inform the next steps of learning and meet individual needs. 
• Allowing learners to be successful in their attempts at an activity and using effective feedback to help facilitate next steps in learning, adding an appropriate level of challenge.
• Suggesting home learning opportunities with information about what has been taught, allowing parents to build on their child’s school experiences, at home. We recognise the changing needs and interests of our learners and are responsive to this.

Impact

From their own starting points, learners progress well academically and socially, developing the confidence they need to meet new challenges in Key Stage 1.

Learners demonstrate high levels of engagement in activities, developing their speaking and listening skills, enabling them to access all areas of learning and communicate to both adults and their peers. 

Learners develop skills across both Prime and Specific Areas of Learning and are confident to use these skills in different ways.

Learners develop a wider sense of the world around them and can draw on experiences during interactions with others  in order to link this to new learning. 

Learners develop the Characteristics of Learning and are able to apply their knowledge to a range of situations making links and explaining their ideas and understanding. 

Learners are confident to take risks and discuss their successes and outcomes, drawing from their experiences and making adjustments. 

Learners make sense of the world around them, develop tolerance, compassion and an understanding of their rights and the rights of others in an ever evolving world. 

By the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage learners have developed the knowledge and skills required to progress along their learning journey. They leave the EYFS at Field Lane as happy, inquisitive and successful young people.  In providing what children need now, we are preparing citizens of the future.