What is our aim with Creative Curriculum at Springfield? (Intent)
The aim of our creative curriculum is to enable children to become confident Historians and Geographers by gaining knowledge and understanding through the use of a wide range of skills. Alongside important knowledge of people, places and events, children are encouraged to develop transferable skills they can use across the curriculum and in later life, such as asking perceptive questions, thinking critically and weighing evidence through enquiry based activities.
Each year group’s units of work cover a number of skills and objectives outlined in the National Curriculum. This provides an engaging and inspiring backdrop for the children in which history and geography can be fully integrated with their learning of reading, writing and mathematics. Also, by stimulating their interest of other times and places, children develop an awareness of themselves in relation to their community and the part they can play in it.
What does this look like in our classrooms? (Implementation)
A clear progression of skills is implemented for pupils from Year 3 to Year 6. Skills, knowledge and vocabulary, within lessons, are continually revisited and are built upon to ensure that pupils make, or exceed, expected progress. Objectives and vocabulary are explicitly taught and built upon through each unit of work across the school.
Within Creative Curriculum sessions we aim to support pupils by:
*Building onto prior learning; making links across units of work
*Promoting pupil voice
*Displaying learning, skills and vocabulary, in the classroom, on our 'Loops of Learning' wall
*Using an enquiry led approach; key questions and ancillary questions
*Providing a diverse curriculum
*Creating opportunities for pupil to have wider experiences; visits, trips
How do we support all learners?
We strive to meet the needs of all pupils, whatever their ability or level of need. Children have the right to progress and reach their potential. By adapting our teaching we support the needs of those children who have disabilities, English as an additional language or special gifts and talents.
We use the FFT website to identify which pupils are making progress and are able to meet the expected standard for individual year groups.
Teachers use a range of creative ideas to challenge our most able pupils. Ideas range from questioning strategies to class debates, enabling pupils to deepen their understanding. Learner groups, including EAL and Pupil Premium, are analysed through school data and relevant action is taken to ensure that all groups are catered for appropriately. For example, pre-teaching of vocabulary and key knowledge enables pupils to access learning in the classroom.
What are the outcomes for learners? (Impact)
Our history and geography curriculum is high quality, well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression. Within history and geography, we strive to create a supportive and collaborative ethos for learning by providing investigative and enquiry based learning opportunities. Therefore, emphasis is placed on supporting children to gain a coherent knowledge of understanding of each unit of work covered throughout the school.
We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:
The aim of our creative curriculum is to enable children to become confident Historians and Geographers by gaining knowledge and understanding through the use of a wide range of skills. Alongside important knowledge of people, places and events, children are encouraged to develop transferable skills they can use across the curriculum and in later life, such as asking perceptive questions, thinking critically and weighing evidence through enquiry based activities.
Each year group’s units of work cover a number of skills and objectives outlined in the National Curriculum. This provides an engaging and inspiring backdrop for the children in which history and geography can be fully integrated with their learning of reading, writing and mathematics. Also, by stimulating their interest of other times and places, children develop an awareness of themselves in relation to their community and the part they can play in it.
What does this look like in our classrooms? (Implementation)
A clear progression of skills is implemented for pupils from Year 3 to Year 6. Skills, knowledge and vocabulary, within lessons, are continually revisited and are built upon to ensure that pupils make, or exceed, expected progress. Objectives and vocabulary are explicitly taught and built upon through each unit of work across the school.
Within Creative Curriculum sessions we aim to support pupils by:
*Building onto prior learning; making links across units of work
*Promoting pupil voice
*Displaying learning, skills and vocabulary, in the classroom, on our 'Loops of Learning' wall
*Using an enquiry led approach; key questions and ancillary questions
*Providing a diverse curriculum
*Creating opportunities for pupil to have wider experiences; visits, trips
How do we support all learners?
We strive to meet the needs of all pupils, whatever their ability or level of need. Children have the right to progress and reach their potential. By adapting our teaching we support the needs of those children who have disabilities, English as an additional language or special gifts and talents.
We use the FFT website to identify which pupils are making progress and are able to meet the expected standard for individual year groups.
Teachers use a range of creative ideas to challenge our most able pupils. Ideas range from questioning strategies to class debates, enabling pupils to deepen their understanding. Learner groups, including EAL and Pupil Premium, are analysed through school data and relevant action is taken to ensure that all groups are catered for appropriately. For example, pre-teaching of vocabulary and key knowledge enables pupils to access learning in the classroom.
What are the outcomes for learners? (Impact)
Our history and geography curriculum is high quality, well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression. Within history and geography, we strive to create a supportive and collaborative ethos for learning by providing investigative and enquiry based learning opportunities. Therefore, emphasis is placed on supporting children to gain a coherent knowledge of understanding of each unit of work covered throughout the school.
We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:
- Summative assessment of pupil discussions about their learning; skills, vocabulary, knowledge.
- Images of the children’s practical learning.
- Interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice).
- Annual reporting of standards across the curriculum.
- Formative assessment (FFT website).
Here are some of our historical and geographical
enquiries...
Year 3
How have humans and animals adapted to mountain environments?
Year 3 began with a trip to Avid climbing centre where the children tried their hand at bouldering. This is climbing without ropes and harnesses and helped to kick start the topic on Mountains. The topic continues and the children become familiar with features of a mountain and can name mountain ranges around the world. Children identify differences and similarities between Nepal and the UK and make comparisons between their life and that of a Napali child. This topic builds on from the pupils learning from KS1 and children begin to identify features such as mountains, valleys, volcanoes, fields, towns, villages and cities.
What were the changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age?
Children develop an understanding of concurrent civilisations around the world during these times and articulate this as well as begin to understand the ideas of ‘duration’ and ‘scale’ when looking at the lengths of the various ages.
Year 4
How did the Roman invasion impact on Britain?
The Roman invasion and occupation of Britain followed on from the Iron Age in Britain – this allows for comparisons to be made and to show how Britain has progressed. By comparing Ancient Rome and Roman Britain with the Iron Age in terms of duration, children develop a deeper chronological understanding. Year 4 started the topic with a Roman Day where they welcomed a Roman soldier to our school. During the topic, they visited Colchester Castle where they were particularly interested in learning about a local female Celtic queen, Boudicca, who successfully beat the Romans in several large battles.
Why is the Earth angry?
Throughout this unit of work the pupils have been focusing on natural disasters, including earthquakes, tornadoes and flooding. Having watched a volcanic eruption in the playground, they began learning about volcanoes. Pupils then learn about how their local area has been effected by a natural disaster; in 1953, the coast of EastAnglia was affected by flooding and Felixstowe was one place that was affected. This is a great opportunity for pupils to recall their learning from Year 3 where they developed an understanding of how our environment is changing.
Year 5
How do humans impact on the rainforest?
Children identify similarities and differences between North and South America and the UK. During this unit of work, pupils learn about how the Amazon rainforest is used by different tribes. This provides a great opportunity to recall how other civilisations, from previous studies of learning, lived. Within this session, the children identify similarities and differences between their life and that of a Brazilian child. Pupils develop empathy and can clearly articulate the importance of protecting the world's rainforests from deforestation.
How have the medical breakthroughs of the last two hundred and fifty years affected the lives of people in Britain?
This unit of work allows the children to see the development of British history in the seventeenth century and beyond and make comparisons using knowledge from previous units of study. The study, which focuses on ‘medicine through time’, extend pupil’s chronological knowledge beyond 1066. Within this unit of work, pupil learn about Edward Jenner's discovery and how his discovery resulted in saving more lives than any other discovery in history.
Year 6
Why was the Battle of Hasting a turning point in British History?
This important battle, turned the history of England, shifting the powers held by Anglo-Saxons for over 600 years over to the Normans. Pupils build on from their learning of Anglo-Saxons in year 5 and develop their understanding of what happened next. Teaching children about the events of 1066 is a great way to get them invested in medieval history. This topic also provides pupils with the knowledge and understanding to make comparisons between battles in history, understand differences and causes and consequences.
Why is fair trade fair?
This enquiry enables pupils to understand what international trade entails – the manufacture, selling and buying of goods and services between countries through exports and imports – and the fact that trade has been operating for thousands of years. Within this unit, pupils learn that although China is the United Kingdom’s main importer of goods there are container ships every day travelling in the opposite direction with exports (items that are made in the United Kingdom and sold to people in other countries) from British companies to China.
How have humans and animals adapted to mountain environments?
Year 3 began with a trip to Avid climbing centre where the children tried their hand at bouldering. This is climbing without ropes and harnesses and helped to kick start the topic on Mountains. The topic continues and the children become familiar with features of a mountain and can name mountain ranges around the world. Children identify differences and similarities between Nepal and the UK and make comparisons between their life and that of a Napali child. This topic builds on from the pupils learning from KS1 and children begin to identify features such as mountains, valleys, volcanoes, fields, towns, villages and cities.
What were the changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age?
Children develop an understanding of concurrent civilisations around the world during these times and articulate this as well as begin to understand the ideas of ‘duration’ and ‘scale’ when looking at the lengths of the various ages.
Year 4
How did the Roman invasion impact on Britain?
The Roman invasion and occupation of Britain followed on from the Iron Age in Britain – this allows for comparisons to be made and to show how Britain has progressed. By comparing Ancient Rome and Roman Britain with the Iron Age in terms of duration, children develop a deeper chronological understanding. Year 4 started the topic with a Roman Day where they welcomed a Roman soldier to our school. During the topic, they visited Colchester Castle where they were particularly interested in learning about a local female Celtic queen, Boudicca, who successfully beat the Romans in several large battles.
Why is the Earth angry?
Throughout this unit of work the pupils have been focusing on natural disasters, including earthquakes, tornadoes and flooding. Having watched a volcanic eruption in the playground, they began learning about volcanoes. Pupils then learn about how their local area has been effected by a natural disaster; in 1953, the coast of EastAnglia was affected by flooding and Felixstowe was one place that was affected. This is a great opportunity for pupils to recall their learning from Year 3 where they developed an understanding of how our environment is changing.
Year 5
How do humans impact on the rainforest?
Children identify similarities and differences between North and South America and the UK. During this unit of work, pupils learn about how the Amazon rainforest is used by different tribes. This provides a great opportunity to recall how other civilisations, from previous studies of learning, lived. Within this session, the children identify similarities and differences between their life and that of a Brazilian child. Pupils develop empathy and can clearly articulate the importance of protecting the world's rainforests from deforestation.
How have the medical breakthroughs of the last two hundred and fifty years affected the lives of people in Britain?
This unit of work allows the children to see the development of British history in the seventeenth century and beyond and make comparisons using knowledge from previous units of study. The study, which focuses on ‘medicine through time’, extend pupil’s chronological knowledge beyond 1066. Within this unit of work, pupil learn about Edward Jenner's discovery and how his discovery resulted in saving more lives than any other discovery in history.
Year 6
Why was the Battle of Hasting a turning point in British History?
This important battle, turned the history of England, shifting the powers held by Anglo-Saxons for over 600 years over to the Normans. Pupils build on from their learning of Anglo-Saxons in year 5 and develop their understanding of what happened next. Teaching children about the events of 1066 is a great way to get them invested in medieval history. This topic also provides pupils with the knowledge and understanding to make comparisons between battles in history, understand differences and causes and consequences.
Why is fair trade fair?
This enquiry enables pupils to understand what international trade entails – the manufacture, selling and buying of goods and services between countries through exports and imports – and the fact that trade has been operating for thousands of years. Within this unit, pupils learn that although China is the United Kingdom’s main importer of goods there are container ships every day travelling in the opposite direction with exports (items that are made in the United Kingdom and sold to people in other countries) from British companies to China.
Examples of our work...
Year 4
Geography: To investigate places.
I can ask and answer geographical questions about the physical and human characteristics of a location.
I can explain my own views about a location.
I can use maps, atlases, globes to locate countries.
I can name and locate the countries of Europe.
I can use a range of resources to identify the key physical and human features of a location.
I can understand how to use a variety of sources to create a fact file for a country.
As a launch to our Ancient Greek topic, we used evidence in a clue box to predict what we were going to learn about next. Using our schema, we looked at photos, objects and coins which enabled us to predict that we were going to study Greece. We became Geographers, locating Greece in the world and Europe. We discovered the countries which border it as well as other geographical facts (climate, physical and human features) before presenting our learning in a fact file. Comparing Britain and Greece enabled us to see both similarities and differences between the two countries. Finally, at the end of the first week we adventured back in time to Ancient Greece and explored Ancient Greek pottery.
I can ask and answer geographical questions about the physical and human characteristics of a location.
I can explain my own views about a location.
I can use maps, atlases, globes to locate countries.
I can name and locate the countries of Europe.
I can use a range of resources to identify the key physical and human features of a location.
I can understand how to use a variety of sources to create a fact file for a country.
As a launch to our Ancient Greek topic, we used evidence in a clue box to predict what we were going to learn about next. Using our schema, we looked at photos, objects and coins which enabled us to predict that we were going to study Greece. We became Geographers, locating Greece in the world and Europe. We discovered the countries which border it as well as other geographical facts (climate, physical and human features) before presenting our learning in a fact file. Comparing Britain and Greece enabled us to see both similarities and differences between the two countries. Finally, at the end of the first week we adventured back in time to Ancient Greece and explored Ancient Greek pottery.
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Year 3
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Year 5 |
Year 6
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