We see our curriculum as everything we say and do in our school so it is far more than the subjects we teach or the projects we design. It enables us to support our children to flourish and for them to help others’ to do so.
Our school curriculum is drawn from the National Curriculum for England, which sets out the content and programmes of study for maintained primary schools. We view the national curriculum as an entitlement for children in our school to access all subjects, thus providing them with a broad and balanced education that acknowledges the significance of English, Mathematics and Science but equally the importance of the Arts, History, Music, Languages, Geography, Technology, Computing, Religious Education and British Values in a modern world.
Our school curriculum is organised in a thematic way, into projects. This is to enable children and teachers to make connections across subjects and disciplines and support language use across subjects through ‘big ideas’. We infuse our school curriculum with first hand experiences and activities that engage them in our local community and service to others. Each project will also have a ‘Presentation of Understanding’ which will require the children to plan a large exhibition, event, play, resources, publications etc. that requires them to share their learning with others. In this way, we are able to develop both academic learning as well as character traits such as collaboration, communication, planning skills, courage and entrepreneurship.
Our school curriculum projects are also based on big ideas or concepts that help drive understanding for children such as change, adaptation, cause and effect, difference, courage. This enables us to make many connections across the whole curriculum as these big ideas appear across subjects, year groups and are timeless.
The core principles of teaching and learning which drive our curriculum:
- We aim to design and deliver a bespoke, carefully-sequenced curriculum that is fit for purpose for the community and the pupils we serve.
- We ensure that all pupils know what they are learning about and why (including which subject – “Today we will be historians, artists, designers, geographers”.
- We see oracy, and the explicit teaching of vocabulary, as vital components of our curriculum as we believe they have a profound impact on learning and on the personal growth of an individual.
- We aim high and value excellence. We take time to recognise and celebrate success, praise, effort and nurture perseverance.
- We ensure the curriculum celebrates inclusion and diversity and provides opportunities for pupils to reason, justify and debate.
- We guide learning through an instructional framework which demonstrates excellence.
- We use questions to deepen understanding and we see mistakes as central to the learning process, so we encourage resilience and a love of learning.
- We ensure that all pupils retain and remember knowledge through a coherent, carefully sequenced, whole school curriculum that works in tandem with a progression in skills.
- We provide pupils with an “enriched” curriculum that goes beyond the requirements of the National Curriculum – ensuring that there is enrichment beyond the curriculum (extra opportunities) as well as within it. This includes an emphasis on music, art, theatre (cultural capital) and outdoor experiences.
The delivery of our curriculum
At Uphill Village Academy we plan learning in a thematic approach to the curriculum that is underpinned by the National Curriculum as the basis for content and expectations. Each theme is structured so that each year group has:
- A clear plan of what must be covered for each project (project map) supported by knowledge organisers.
- The concepts pupils should understand by the end of each project
- Subject-specific progression documents that detail how knowledge and skills are developed through the child’s journey through the school.
Project maps for each year group ensure teachers have complete clarity on what to cover and include e.g. National curriculum objectives, subject- specific knowledge, vocabulary and skills.
We move students beyond the learning of facts and skills to uncover concepts—transferable ideas that transcend time, place, and situation.
Finally, subject-specific progression documents show how the knowledge, skills and concepts are linked and demonstrate depth within the curriculum. As the school continues its journey, we hope to supplement these documents with exemplars of pupil’s work that demonstrate excellence within the curriculum.
A thematic approach allows us to interleave knowledge across different contexts to maximise the retrieval and transferability of previously learned content. Whilst most content is subject-specific, there are regular opportunities for cross-curricular approaches often underpinned by oracy related outcomes.
We view the local community and outdoor environment as fundamental elements to our school vision and so we thread these links into the curriculum for each year group.
Whole School Curriculum Overview
Our curriculum is delivered in a two year cycle. Below is the curriculum overview showing the curriculum in Year A and Year B across the year groups.
Year A
| Terms 1 & 2 | Terms 3 & 4 | Terms 5 & 6 |
14 weeks | 12 weeks | 13 weeks |
EYFS Year One | E is for Exploring Geography: Knowledge of school and area (knowing United Kingdom and capital cities within it – London, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Dublin) Key Concepts: locality, positionEYFS : Understanding the world – Features of their environment; similarities and differences History: Changes in locality and region- family members , school built, playhouse, Tropicana, hospital, grandparents memories food, music, toys, school life | S is for Space Science: Earth and its place in the solar system Key concepts: Distance, universe, travel, space, time EYFS: Knowledge of the world – change and why it happens History: Astronauts – Tim Peake, Yuri Gargan, The Space Race | What is your super power? Everyday Heroes / Super Heroes. Key Concepts: Power, good, evil Science: Everyday Materials and an intro to magnetism EYFS: Knowledge of the world- similarities and differences in materials Key Concepts: compare and contrast |
Year Two | Where in the world are we? Geography: Locational knowledge of England including regions. Seven continents and world’s oceans Contrasting study – non European area – coastal town – china, Vietnam, India Physical and Human Geography: Revisit weather and climate; Look at basic effects of environmental change- pollution, litter, population growth Key concepts: location, physical and human characteristics, environment, culture, borders | Who has made the greatest difference to life today? History: Beyond living memory era study Victorian Britain: Queen Victoria, what life was like – Oliver Twist Industrial Revolution: Brunel – trains, steamships, bridges, other inventions in this period: Telephone, lightbulb People: Queen Victoria/ Brunel/ Florence Nightingale Key Concepts: Chronology, hierarchy, industrialisation, monarchy, empire | Why did London burn? History: Beyond living memory – Restoration period History : Samuel Pepys, The plague and the Fire of London- The Restoration Era Key concepts: chronology, hierarchy, power |
What makes animals amazing? Science: Living things and their habitats Key Concepts: Survival and Conservation |
Year Three & Four | Was King Henry the worst King? History: Period Study: Tudor and Stuarts: Henry V111; Oliver Cromwell, Shakespeare Key concepts: chronology, hierarchy, monarchy, power, religion, | Who was the greatest explorer? History: European explorers – Sir Francis Drake, Christopher Columbus, John Cabot Key Concepts: Voyage, discovery, Trade, navigation, merchant Geography: Mediterranean Study (France, Spain, Italy, Greece) Key concepts- similarities and differences, culture, location | How green is our planet? Geography: Environment – Rainforests- South America Key Concepts: Sustainability, Preservation and Protection History: Ancient civilisations – Mayans Key concepts: civilisation, hierarchy, culture |
Year Five and Six | How does our world rage? Geography: Water Cycle and Rivers, Mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes Key Concepts: Evidence, Survival and Prevention, cause and effect | Where is our place in space? Science: Astronomy and meteorology Key Concepts: Exploration, Voyage, space, time , travel, universe, solar system | What did the Ancient Greeks do for us? History: Greek influence on Western life Key Concepts: Power, Democracy, Legacy, hierarchy |
Year B
| Terms 1 & 2 | Terms 3 & 4 | Terms 5 & 6 |
| 14 weeks | 12 weeks | 13 weeks |
EYFS Year One | J is for Journeys Key Concepts: Distance and Travel EYFS: Understanding of the World- features of environment; similarities and differences locality Human and Physical Geography: Local area Maps, Geographical skills and fieldwork Science: Humans – Map of me Geography: Understand daily weather changes, measure temperature, clouds, rainfall, thunderstorms, snow Weather patterns 2- 3 weeks Key Concept: Time, Cycle. Physical process | Y is for Yesterday History: Changes in information technology 1930 – present TV, Computer games, phones, internet EYFS: Understanding the Worlds Technology Key concepts: changes over time, chronology | G is for Gorgeous Animals Key Concepts: Adaptation and Survival, lifecycle Science – Animals and plants Classify common animals – fish, amphibians, reptile, birds, mammals Carnivores, herbivores and omnivores Plants – parts of a plant, flowers and seeds Geography: Match animals to habitats naming continents and oceans EYFS: Understanding the World. How environments vary, observations of plants, and animals |
Y is for Yesterday History: Kings and Queens – what is monarchy? Where do Kings and Queens live? How do they live? Who is our Queen? What does being in the Royal Family mean? EYFS: Understanding the World; people and communities |
Year Two | Where in the world are we? Geography: Locational knowledge of England including regions. Seven continents and world’s oceans Contrasting study – non European area – coastal town – china, Vietnam, India Physical and Human Geography: Revisit weather and climate; Look at basic effects of environmental change- pollution, litter, population growth Key concepts: location, physical and human characteristics, environment, culture, borders | Who has made the greatest difference to life today? History: Beyond living memory era study Victorian Britain: Queen Victoria, what life was like – Oliver Twist Industrial Revolution: Brunel – trains, steamships, bridges, other inventions in this period: Telephone, lightbulb People: Queen Victoria/ Brunel/ Florence Nightingale Key Concepts: Chronology, hierarchy, industrialisation, monarchy, empire | Why did London burn? History: Beyond living memory – Restoration period History : Samuel Pepys, The plague and the Fire of London- The Restoration Era Key concepts: chronology, hierarchy, power |
What makes animals amazing? Science: Living things and their habitats Key Concepts: Survival and Conservation |
Year Three and Four | What makes my body amazing? Science: Understanding how our body protects us and helps us survive Key Concepts: Survival and Protection, organisms, life processes | Were the Vikings Vicious? History: Britain’s settlement by Anglo Saxons, Viking invasion to the time of Edward the Confessor Key Concepts: Settlement, Invasion, Conquer, monarchy, power Geography: Counties of UK , countries of Europe | What make Britain Great? Geography: Locational knowledge of England ( counties, significant cities, landmarks) and Europe (countries within Europe, major cities of Europe) Comparing; villages, cities with capitals across Europe Key Concepts: location, position, compare and contrast, border and boundaries cultural differences |
Year Five and Six | Whose Footsteps Do We Follow in? History: Stone Age, Bronze Age to start of the Iron Age – how did life begin and evolve, how was land is used Key Concepts: Civilization, ancestor, colony, settlement | Whose footsteps do we follow in? History: The Roman Empire and its impact upon Britain- invasion of Britain and settlement within Britain Key Concepts: Invasion, army, conflict, conquest, ruler, enemy The Roman Empire – How did they live? Rulers and Emperors Key Concept: Empire, Emperor, Nobility, Power, Slave, Society | How Egypt changed the world? History: Achievements of ancient Egypt civilisations – the old kingdom vs the new kingdom Key Concepts: civilisation, empire, invasion, hierarchy, inheritance |
Have We Made the World a better place? Geography: Human and physical influences on our lives today, natural resources, Climate Change Key Concepts: Continuity, change, consequence – cause and effect |