Open Futures is about joined-up thinking and working right across the Early Years Foundation Stage and National Curriculum. It places emphasis on the development of practical, creative, thinking and enquiry skills which help children to be more in charge of their own learning, while increasing their interest, confidence and motivation.

Open Futures encourages schools to work in more cross-curricular way and the four curriculum strands provide schools with a raft of cross-curricular opportunities and benefits. It helps the curriculum to become a 'whole learning experience'.

Many of the current Open Futures schools also speak of the benefits of linking the initiative with other programmes, so that they complement and enhance one another and provide a sharper focus for planning. This ensures that time is not wasted, developments are cohesive and consistent and important cross-curricular learning takes place.

Successful links made between Open Futures and other programmes and projects include, for example:

– Sustainable schools
– Healthy schools
– Learning Outside the Classroom
– Growing Schools
– Eco-Schools
– Fairtrade Schools
– Working with Others project
– Reggio Emilia schools
– Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) Education
– Local community activities
– Music, dance and drama projects