Learning Targets

Our learning targets represent the strands of our expedition investigation and outline what skills our students will have acquired by the end of the term.

Learning targets are further broken down into four thematic case studies which are appropriate for the level of challenge required for the year group, bringing the necessary skills to the forefront of the expeditionary learning.

The Case Studies explored for the 'Circle of Life' summer expedition are:


Case Study 1 - Geography

To communicate geographically:

• key physical features, including: beach, coast, forest, hill, mountain, ocean, river, soil, valley, vegetation and weather.

• key human features, including: city, town, village, factory, farm, house, office and shop.

• Use compass directions (north, south, east and west) and locational language (e.g. near and far) to describe the location of features and routes on a map.


To investigate patterns:

• Understand geographical similarities and differences through studying the human and physical geography of a small area of the United Kingdom and of a contrasting non-European country.

• Identify seasonal and daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom and the location of hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the Equator and the North and South Poles.

• Ask and answer geographical questions (such as: What is this place like? What or who will I see in this place? What do people do in this place?).

• Use world maps, atlases and globes to identify the United Kingdom and its countries, as well as the countries, continents and oceans studied.

• Use aerial images and plan perspectives to recognise landmarks and basic physical features.

• Name and locate the world’s continents and oceans.

Case Study 2 - Science

To investigate living things:

• Explore and compare the differences between things that are living, that are dead and that have never been alive.

• Identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe how different habitats provide for the basic needs of different kinds of animals and plants and how they depend on each other.

• Describe how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals, using the idea of a simple food chain, and identify and name different sources of food.


To understand animals and humans:

• Identify and name a variety of common animals that are birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and invertebrates.

• Identify and name a variety of common animals that are carnivores, herbivores and omnivores.

• Describe and compare the structure of a variety of common animals (birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and invertebrates, including pets).

• Notice that animals, including humans, have offspring which grow into adults.

• Investigate and describe the basic needs of animals, including humans, for survival (water, food and air).

Case Study 3 - Art

To develop ideas:

• Respond to ideas and starting points.

• Explore ideas and collect visual information.

• Explore different methods and materials as ideas develop


To master techniques:

Add white to colours to make tints and black to colours to make tones.

• Use a combination of materials that are cut, torn and glued.

• Sort and arrange materials.

• Mix materials to create texture.

• Use a combination of shapes.

• Include lines and texture.

• Draw lines of different sizes and thickness.

• Colour (own work) neatly following the lines.

• Show pattern and texture by adding dots and lines.

• Show different tones by using coloured pencils.

• Use repeating or overlapping shapes.

• Mimic print from the environment (e.g. wallpapers).

• Use objects to create prints (e.g. fruit, vegetables or sponges).

Case Study 4 - English

    • Year 1 (Taken from working towards standard on KS1 TAF)

    • The pupil can, after discussion with the teacher:

    • write sentences that are sequenced to form a short narrative (real or fictional)

    • demarcate some sentences with capital letters and full stops • segment spoken words into phonemes and represent these by graphemes, spelling some words correctly and making phonetically-plausible attempts at others

    • spell some common exception words*

    • form lower-case letters in the correct direction, starting and finishing in the right place

    • form lower-case letters of the correct size relative to one another in some of their writing

    • use spacing between words.


    • Year 2 (Taken from working at expected standard on KS1 TAF)

    • The pupil can after discussion with the teacher:

    • write about real events, recording these simply and clearly

    • demarcate most sentences in their writing with capital letters and full stops, and use question marks correctly when required

    • use present and past tense mostly correctly and consistently

    • use coordination (e.g. or / and / but) and some subordination (e.g. when / if / that / because) to join clauses

    • segment spoken words into phonemes and represent these by graphemes, spelling many of these words correctly and making phonetically-plausible attempts at others

    • spell many common exception words*

    • form capital letters and digits of the correct size, orientation and relationship to one another and to lower-case letters

    • use spacing between words that reflects the size of the letters.