There is something wonderfully ambitious about being three. A puddle can become an ocean, a cardboard box can turn into a spaceship, and a question about a snail can open the door to a whole afternoon of discovery. In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), these moments are not a pause before “real” learning begins. They are learning.

At Horizon Town Square, we believe our work is to notice the possibility in everyday experiences and thoughtfully shape the conditions in which young children can explore, make sense of the world and grow in confidence. One idea helps guide us: in EYFS, children have three key teachers, their parents, their teachers at school, and the environment around them. Through this shared influence, children will become Confident, Capable, Connected.

Play is learning

It is easy to hear that children have been playing and wonder whether enough learning has happened. But when children build, pretend, negotiate, experiment and ask questions, they are doing important intellectual and social work. A tower that topples invites investigation. A pretend café creates reasons to communicate, count and collaborate. A game with friends offers practice in taking turns, sharing ideas and managing feelings.

Play does not mean leaving learning to chance. Skilled adults pay attention to what children are curious about, offer resources and questions at the right moment, and give children room to try their own ideas. In this way, play can be both joyful and purposeful: children lead the exploration, while thoughtful teaching helps it go further.

This sits naturally alongside the EYFS framework, which recognises play as central to children’s development and learning. It also echoes Lev Vygotsky’s insight that learning is shaped through social interaction, and Jean Piaget’s emphasis on children actively constructing understanding. Young children learn by doing and by making meaning with other people.

Three teachers, one shared journey

Parents: children’s first and foremost teachers

Families know children in ways no one else can. The stories, languages, routines, questions and discoveries of home form a child’s first learning landscape. Parents are not simply an audience for what happens at school; they are essential partners in it. When home and school share observations and celebrate progress together, children experience learning as something that belongs to their whole life.

Teachers: noticing, guiding and extending

At Horizon Town Square, teachers bring professional knowledge and close attention to each child. We watch for what captures their interest, what they can already do, and where a well-judged prompt or next step might help them grow more confident and capable. The aim is not to take over the play, but to recognise its possibilities and respond with care.

The environment: a teacher in its own right

A room, a courtyard, a collection of open-ended materials, or a patch of sand can invite children to make choices and follow ideas. In the Reggio Emilia approach, the environment is often described as a “third teacher” a powerful reminder that spaces communicate. Thoughtfully designed spaces can help children feel connected to people, ideas and the world around them, while encouraging independence, curiosity, collaboration and calm.

Loris Malaguzzi’s idea of the “Hundred Languages of Children” also offers a generous way to think about expression. Children show what they know in many ways: through words, movement, drawing, construction, role-play, music and more. Our environments should make room for those different ways of thinking and communicating.

Designing for discovery

Intentional design is not about filling every moment or making every resource elaborate. It is about asking thoughtful questions: Can children reach and choose materials for themselves? Is there space to build, create, talk, move and be quiet? Do the resources invite more than one possible answer? Can an everyday outdoor experience prompt observation and wonder?

Learning opportunities surround us. A walk can become a conversation about patterns, sounds or changes in the weather. Preparing for a meal can involve sorting, counting and cooperation. The environment includes these places and moments, as well as the people and materials within them. When we look closely, ordinary experiences become rich opportunities to notice, wonder and learn.

“For us, the question is not solely what children are learning, but how they are learning. Early childhood is an opportunity for children to begin building the most important relationship of all: the relationship they have with themselves. As they explore, encounter challenge, make mistakes and try again, our role is to help children develop the tools to reflect, adapt and keep going. Through these experiences, children develop perseverance, adaptability and a belief in themselves as capable learners. These are the foundations that allow them to approach learning, and every adventure that follows, with confidence and self-belief”.

Gabriella Ridley Head of Early Years

Adventure begins together

At Horizon, designing learning for EYFS begins with trust: trust in children’s curiosity, respect for the knowledge families bring, and belief in the thoughtful work of teachers. When parents, school teachers and the environment work together, play becomes a powerful foundation for learning, one that children can carry with them well beyond their earliest years.

We invite our HESTS community to reflect: what has a child recently taught you through play, and what in their everyday environment sparked that discovery? These small observations can start wonderful conversations about how we make room for adventure, at three and at every age.

Come and continue the conversation

Horizon Town Square opens in August 2027, and there is already a great deal happening as we prepare to welcome our founding families. I would love to welcome you to our Parent Experience Centre in Town Square. Come and meet the team, ask us the questions that matter to your family and discover more about the education, community and opportunities your child can expect at Horizon Town Square.

You will also hear more about what it means to be part of the Horizon family, and how the experience, expertise and connections across Cognita are helping us build an exceptional school from day one.

Yours sincerely,

Nick Hart
Founding Principal
Horizon Town Square