A good education is the springboard for lifelong learning and an understanding and appreciation of others. It also facilitates the development of skills and knowledge that allows young adults to cope with whatever life throws at them. We recognise that learning is not just confined to the classroom; learning can occur anywhere! What is important for learning to occur is the resources, experiences and people that make it happen. Remember not everything we learn can be recorded in copy books or expressed as a grade.
In all of our primary schools we interleave the development of a child’s cultural capital at the heart of our bespoke thematic curriculum. Cultural capital can be defined as the accumulation of essential knowledge needed to be educated citizens to engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement. It is through this understanding that we have developed a non-negotiable list of experiences to empower pupils’ learning and deepen their knowledge of both curriculum and non-curriculum content. In short, the development of additional experiences for our pupils will strengthen the fabric of their learning and allow them to navigate through school with a deepened sense of security and happiness.
Each primary school in our Trust has carefully selected the experiences that will be contextually important to the children in their care. These chosen experiences and activities have been incorporated into our curriculum to enrich learning and enhance the children’s understanding of the world that we live in. Below is a small selection of activities that pupils across all of our schools will encounter.
Reception
- Sing and dance in the rain
- Build a snowman
- Visit places of worship
- Speak to a Policeman/woman, Nurse or Fireman
- Play in the snow
- Learn to say ‘Hello’ 10 different ways
- Visit the cinema and eat popcorn
- Travel on a train, tram or bus
- Be a Super Hero for a day
- Jump in muddy puddles/make a mud pie
- Feed the ducks
- Go for an Autumn walk
- Garden for the afternoon
- Eat with a knife and fork at a table
KS1
- Visit a Farm
- Experience different foods from around the world
- Go to the Cinema/Theatre
- Visit the park
- Visit the library
- Ride a bike
- Learn to swim
- Go on a public bus/train
- Grow fruits and vegetables
- Go pond-dipping
- Put on a puppet show
- Meet the Mayor
- Enter a competition that is run outside of school
- Go bird watching
KS2
- Raise money for charity
- Blackberry picking
- Write to a pen pal
- Go ice skating/skiing
- Visit different places of worship
- Visit a museum
- Write to a Member of Parliament/Queen
- Build a habitat for an animal or insect
- Use sewing skills to make something
- Visit a Castle
- Attend an organised sporting event
- Visit the Theatre
- Teacher Takeover Day
- Learn basic first aid skills
- Swim 25M/learn lifesaving skills
- Work on a project to support the elderly
- Learn to iron a shirt/blouse/trousers/skirt
- Wire a plug/change a lightbulb
- Write a formal letter to an MP/Prime Minister
- Attend a residential trip away for two or more nights
- Deliver a short speech/presentation to an audience
- Make a meal/bake a cake
Young people need to be able to experience learning in multiple contexts, locations and formats – this is how resilience and creativity are nurtured.