Whole School Wider Curriculum Themes Summary

“Happy to Be Me!” Pupils will learn more about themselves exploring who they are, who their families are and where they belong. They will spend time discussing similarities and differences between themselves and their peers and finding out what makes they unique. As well as finding out more about themselves and their families they will also look at how they are connected to other people, including thinking about their culture, religion and shared experiences. This topic also has a focus on learning about the senses, and the children will explore using these through a range of activities.

“Come and Join the Celebration” Pupils will learn more about celebrations which happen here and around the world. They will look in detail at Halloween and bonfire night, Diwali, Birthdays, Weddings, Chinese New Year and Christmas. They will learn what makes something a celebration and will be given opportunities to share their own experiences of these celebrations. Pupils will also compare experiences and learn about a range of customs and traditions from around the world.

“Tell Us a Story” hPupils will listen to a range of familiar and less familiar stories and develop their knowledge of traditional tales and listening skills. The stories they will focus on are, Jack and the beanstalk, Snow white and the seven dwarfs, Goldilocks and the three bears, Little red riding hood, The three billy goats gruff and Anansi the spider. They will extend literacy skills, in particular speaking and listening, as well as broadening their repertoire of stories, alongside learning about where the stories originate from and different versions of the stories.

“Jurassic Park” Pupils will learn more about the stone age and dinosaurs, looking closely at life in the stone age, cave paintings, fossils and bones and dinosaurs of all shapes and size. They will look at the work on Mary Anning and explore what it would be like to be a palaeontologist. This topic will also cover elements of fire safety, and what the earth was like whilst the dinosaurs were around. The children will be encouraged to use their imaginative and creative skills to find out about the past and how things have changed.

“Ticket to Ride” Pupils will learn about the different forms of transport from those on land, to the sky and in the sea. They will be able to share their own experiences of travelling and find out how things have changed and developed over time. They will look at transport in the past and think about what is different to the transport we use now. As part of this topic they will also explore space travel. Through this they will discover and learn about space, planets, stars and what life is like living in a rocket.

“If You Go Down to the Woods” Pupils will find out more about what is found in the woods. They will look at the types of animals, minibeasts, trees and plants that are found in the woods, think about how things grow and think about what we do in the woods; including teddy bear picnics. They will explore the natural world around them and make observations on how things grow and change. Through this topic they will also look at the life cycle of plants and animals, seasonal change and materials.

“Unity in the Community” is a thematic unit about the area you live in, with a geography    focus. Pupils  will     develop    their  geographical skills,  local  knowledge  and understanding through learning about their school, the features of its  grounds, the surrounding area and how it has changed over time. They will  be taught all about the importance of acting responsibly within both the school and the wider community. 

“Zero  to  Hero” is a thematic unit about heroes and heroines, both past and present, who have overcome major challenges in life and become inspirational figures.

There is a key subject focus on history.

“Inter-Nation Media Station” is a thematic unit  all about  media and  broadcasting. There is a key subject focus on history, through which pupils will learn about early methods of communication, leading to the invention of both the television and radio.  Pupils will develop confidence in oracy, through opportunities to work on their own broadcasts. 

“Paddington’s Passport” is a thematic unit based around the worldwide travels of Paddington Bear, with a geography focus. Pupils will look first at Peru, including the Amazonian rainforest (of which Peru has the second-largest portion after the Brazilian Amazon). Then, the focus is on London, reinforcing previous learning about the UK within the global context of continents and oceans. Contrasts such as climate and physical features will be explored and comparisons made between Lima and London. 

“Happy Families” is a thematic unit based around changes over time for pupils, their families and their community, with a history focus. They will look at differences between how people used to live at different times and in different eras, specifically Victorian and find answers to questions, such as, what kind of games did grandma play when she was a girl? There is a photo link across the unit, using photographic evidence as a means of comparing and learning about times past. 

Light Up the World” is a thematic unit based around the sun and other sources of light, with a science focus. Pupils will look at solar power and how to save electricity, as well as learning about sun safety and the importance of protecting both the skin and eyes. They will also learn about how shadows are formed when solid objects block light. Nocturnal animals will also be introduced in this unit. 

“Law and  Order” is  a  thematic  unit, based on the  concept of justice, with a key focus on citizenship. Pupils will look at the importance of leadership and the meaning of democracy and its origins, before moving on to how this applies practically  in communities,  both school-wide,  locally  and  nationally.  It    finishes by recognising issues of  justice, rights and responsibilities in their own setting and  the wider world. 

“Come Fly With Me! Africa” is a thematic unit based around the continent of Africa, with a key focus on geography and history. Pupils will be learning about the  location of Africa and identifying its largest countries. Alongside this geography element, they will study the Benin era. They will also learn about African culture, in particular typical African food and folk tales. 

“Lightning Speed” is a thematic unit based  around the history and development       of the internet and World Wide Web, with a focus on computing. It primarily  looks at how computers communicate, the importance of networks, how email  works and how the internet enables collaboration.

“Rocky the Findosaur” is a thematic unit based around rocks and fossils, with a key focus on science. It teaches about different types of rocks, with the help of original animated dinosaur character, Rocky. The dinosaur link also enables pupils, not only to engage with rocks and fossils in a fun way, but helps to build on from prior learning in the history theme entitled “Ug!” This theme also takes in solids, liquids and gases through focusing on Mount Vesuvius, which is where Rocky spends his time exploring. 

“Under Attack!” is a thematic unit, based around invaders and settlers with a key focus on history. It begins by looking at the Romans, learning about important Roman figures, the reasons for invading and finding out more about their daily lives. Next, the chronology timeline moves onto learning about the invasion of the Anglo Saxons and their settlement in Britain, followed by the Vikings. Pupils will learn about sources of evidence and their reliability. 

“Picture Our Planet” is a thematic unit, with a key focus on geography. Learning is centred around three contrasting localities:- Brazil, Scotland and Fiji, and             includes key facts, physical and human features, traditions and customs  and  an insight into how each country is tackling particular conservation issues. Pupils will  have the opportunity to look at a range of sources and evidence and make  comparisons. 

“Wars of the World” is a thematic unit, based on conflicts past and present, with    a key focus on history and geography.  Pupils will learn about the root causes of  war and have an understanding of its impact, focusing on the two World Wars in particular. They will also learn about civil wars and look at examples, before focusing on present day warfare. Pacifism and the importance of peace will also form part of the theme. 

“I Have a Dream...” is a thematic unit, based on issues of discrimination, particularly apartheid and anti-semitism, with a key subject focus on history. Pupils will learn about the factors that contribute towards discrimination and why  different groups have been stereotyped and, as a result, persecuted and badly treated. 

“A World of Bright Ideas!” is a thematic unit which focuses on the creative process of invention and design, with a leaning towards history and design technology.

Pupils will look at important inventions over time, before moving on to learning about more current issues such as patenting and copyright. They will have  the opportunity to actively engage in the design and make process, looking at the steps  involved from generating a concept to producing a commercially viable product.

“In Your Element” is a thematic unit based around the four elements of earth, air, water and re with a key focus on geography. As well as extending their knowledge of rocks and soils, pupils will learn about natural phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis and tornados. Pupils will also develop their knowledge of rivers and mountains, learning about some of the most important physical features of the UK and the wider world. 

“...And The Band Played On” is a thematic unit, based on the story of the Titanic, with a key focus on history. It begins by locating the point at which the Titanic sank using Google Earth and working back from there, learning about the ship’s communication systems, the timeline leading up to the tragedy and, finally, deciding upon who should be held responsible for the demise of the unsinkable ship. 

“Global Warning” is a thematic unit, which is geography-focused with sustainability and eco literacy at its heart. This project-based theme involves pupils applying their learning about the global environmental issues of waste and pollution  by  creating  a  board game, which  is  both  educational  and  fun.  The  pupils will  work  in groups  to  research,  design  and  produce  their  board  game,  after which they will present and demonstrate it to the class.