Curriculum Overview
In Key Stage 1, we teach the foundation curriculum through a thematic approach linking to an overarching theme. This way the children are immersed in the topic and are allowed to apply their knowledge in many different ways and through many different mediums. We teach the curriculum through the use of high-quality texts.
In Key Stage 2, we block the disciplines of history, geography and science. By blocking topics children are given time to explore, understand and manipulate in-depth a carefully selected progressive knowledge curriculum whilst developing substantive subject specific skills and understanding. We accompany each topic with a high-quality text which is linked to the history, geography or science topic. This gives children opportunities to make conceptual links to the topic as well as being exposed to incidental learning opportunities which arise within the books.In other subjects, our curriculum allows pupils to take time to develop skills and knowledge across an entire half-term, which means an increased amount of time and focus spent on these areas of the foundation subjects.
We feel that by focusing on disciplines in this way we can immerse the children in the topic. Also, we believe that children need to be able to identify the subject being taught so that they can apply the necessary disciplinary skills and substantive concepts, which run through the curriculum. In addition, sequencing the curriculum in this way will mean that children will be able to build upon prior knowledge from the previous lessons and they will be able to use and apply the key vocabulary and understanding set out on the knowledge organisers.
As a school, we have sequenced curriculum, which builds on prior knowledge from previous years and previous subjects. We do this to ensure that the knowledge, skills and substantive concepts outlined in the progression document for each subject is embedded by the time they leave the school.
