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The challenge of balancing the requirement and opportunity to further develop
reading, writing and mathematical skills through other subjects and teaching
the skills, knowledge and understanding of those subjects.
Without detailed skills progression lists and, in some subjects such as art, design &
technology, music, very little detail about ‘content’ it is easy, when the pressure is on to meet
standards in reading, writing and maths to provide a less than broad curriculum.
We don’t not want to overload teachers with long lists of things to be ‘covered’ that cause a
feeling of being overwhelmed and then a form of paralysis that means nothing gets done,
however, working on the principle of quality rather than quantity, we should be making sure
that when we do provide albeit shorter amounts of time for the broader curriculum the quality
of subject teaching is good.
We need to be mindful that we should not fall into the trap of purely using Foundation
Subjects and Science as contexts for reading, writing and maths. There is primarily a
requirement to teach the subject skills, knowledge and understanding of these other
subjects. The statutory programmes of study for each national curriculum subject, set
out the ‘matters, skills and processes’ to be taught at each key stage.
How can Subject Leaders of Science and Foundation Subjects support the teachers to
provide quality teaching and learning?
Let’s start with the statutory requirements. In the National Curriculum it states:
5. Numeracy and mathematics
5.1 Teachers should use every relevant subject to develop pupils’ mathematical
fluency. Confidence in numeracy and other mathematical skills is a precondition of
success across the national curriculum.
5.2 Teachers should develop pupils’ numeracy and mathematical reasoning in all
subjects so that they understand and appreciate the importance of mathematics.
Pupils should be taught to apply arithmetic fluently to problems, understand and use
measures, make estimates and sense check their work. Pupils should apply their
geometric and algebraic understanding, and relate their understanding of probability
to the notions of risk and uncertainty. They should also understand the cycle of
collecting, presenting and analysing data. They should be taught to apply their
mathematics to both routine and non-routine problems, including breaking down
more complex problems into a series of simpler steps.
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6. Language and literacy
6.1 Teachers should develop pupils’ spoken language, reading, writing and
vocabulary as integral aspects of the teaching of every subject. English is both a
subject in its own right and the medium for teaching; for pupils, understanding the
language provides access to the whole curriculum. Fluency in the English language
is an essential foundation for success in all subjects.
Spoken language
6.2 Pupils should be taught to speak clearly and convey ideas confidently using
Standard English. They should learn to justify ideas with reasons; ask questions to
check understanding; develop vocabulary and build knowledge; negotiate; evaluate
and build on the ideas of others; and select the appropriate register for effective
communication. They should be taught to give well-structured descriptions and
explanations and develop their understanding through speculating, hypothesising
and exploring ideas. This will enable them to clarify their thinking as well as organise
their ideas for writing.
Reading and writing
6.3 Teachers should develop pupils’ reading and writing in all subjects to support
their acquisition of knowledge. Pupils should be taught to read fluently, understand
extended prose (both fiction and non-fiction) and be encouraged to read for pleasure.
Schools should do everything to promote wider reading. They should provide library
facilities and set ambitious expectations for reading at home. Pupils should develop
the stamina and skills to write at length, with accurate spelling and punctuation. They
should be taught the correct use of grammar. They should build on what they have
been taught to expand the range of their writing and the variety of the grammar they
use. The writing they do should include narratives, explanations, descriptions,
comparisons, summaries and evaluations: such writing supports them in rehearsing,
understanding and consolidating what they have heard or read.
Vocabulary development
6.4 Pupils’ acquisition and command of vocabulary are key to their learning and
progress across the whole curriculum. Teachers should therefore develop vocabulary
actively, building systematically on pupils’ current knowledge. They should increase
pupils’ store of words in general; simultaneously, they should also make links
between known and new vocabulary and discuss the shades of meaning in similar
words. In this way, pupils expand the vocabulary choices that are available to them
when they write. In addition, it is vital for pupils’ comprehension that they understand
the meanings of words they meet in their reading across all subjects, and older pupils
should be taught the meaning of instruction verbs that they may meet in examination
questions. It is particularly important to induct pupils into the language which defines
each subject in its own right, such as accurate mathematical and scientific language.
‘Schools are free to choose how they organise their school day, as long as the content
of the national curriculum programmes of study is taught to all pupils.’ And this includes
the time taken to teach each subject.
See separate Time Allocation example
Start with the end in mind
Provide subject guidance ensuring teachers use and are familiar with the PoS for each
subject for the at least the Key Stage they are teaching.
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The Connected Curriculum has mapped the Science, Geography, History, Art, D&T,
Music PoS for coverage over Key Stages 1&2 and sets out the relevant sections of the
various PoS to be experienced and developed in each Learning Unit so that teachers
know what learning outcomes they are working to achieve when they start planning for
and scoping out the learning over the period of time. This way they can either use the
suggestions in the Learning Unit or plan their own learning tasks to achieve the learning.
Science, as a core subject, has both detailed year by year coverage mapped and
assessment areas identified for each Learning Unit. This is needed to give ongoing and
accurate TA in Science throughout and at the end of each Key Stage.
In addition, as the school develops, adapts and creates its broader curriculum offering
moving beyond meeting statutory requirements and taking advantage of …
3.2 The national curriculum is just one element in the education of every child.
There is time and space in the school day and in each week, term and year to
range beyond the national curriculum specifications. The national curriculum
provides an outline of core knowledge around which teachers can develop
exciting and stimulating lessons to promote the development of pupils’
knowledge, understanding and skills as part of the wider school curriculum.
Subject Leaders may like to develop an entitlement list for their subject linked to the
vision, values and locality of the school (see separate Leadership Thought piece Entitlement & Assessment in Foundation Subjects)
Subject leaders may also want to provide (create/adopt) some simple skill lists that
support the development of subject skills, for example:
History
History will be taught as part of a topic. Each half term, the children will
concentrate on different topics. These could be History, Geography, Design
Technology or Science.
The aims of teaching History are as follows:
·
To know and understand history as a chronological narrative.
·
To know and understand history of the wider world.
·
To understand historical terms such as ‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and
‘peasantry’.
·
To understand historical concepts such as cause and consequence,
similarity and
difference and the significance of these.
·
To understand methods of historical enquiry.
·
To gain historical perspective by placing knowledge into different contexts.
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Below is what children are expected to know by the end of the academic year.
Challenges for the year are in italics:
Year 1:
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Can they ask and answer questions about old and new objects?
Can they see the difference between old and new?
Can they answer questions about an artefact provided?
Can they give an explanation about what an object is or may have been
used for?
Can they carry out research about a specific subject?
Year 2:
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Can they find out something about the past from an older person?
Can they answer a question by using a specific source?
Can they research the life of a famous person?
Can they research a famous British event?
Can they research the life of someone local to them?
Can they use two ways to find out about the past?
Can they explain why eye-witness accounts may vary?
Can they research a famous event that happened elsewhere in the
world?
Year 3:
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Do they recognise the role of an archaeologist?
Can they use various sources to evidence answers to questions?
Can they research a specific event from the past?
Can they use their research skills to help them write about an event?
Can they compare different periods in time?
Can they use more than one source to reach a conclusion about an
event?
Can they use search engines to find historical sources rapidly?
Year 4:
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Can they research two versions of events and compare them?
Can they research what it was like in a given time period and present their
findings?
Can they give more than one reason to support an historical argument?
Can they communicate knowledge and understanding while giving their
point of view?
Can they use multi-media skills to present their findings?
Year 5:
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Can they test out a hypothesis in order to answer a question?
Do they appreciate how historical artefacts have helped us understand
lives in the past?
Can they research the life of one person who has had an influence on the
way Great Britain is divided into four separate countries?
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Year 6:
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Can they look at viewpoints from an author and see how they may be
trying to persuade?
Can they identify and explain propaganda?
Can they describe a key event from Britain's past using a range of
evidence from different sources?
Can they suggest why there may be different interpretations of events?
Can they suggest why some events in history may be more significant
than others?
Can they pose and answer their own historical questions?
Geography
Geography will also be taught as part of a topic. Each half term, the children will
concentrate on different topics. These could be History, Geography, Design
Technology or Science.
The aims of teaching Geography are as follows:
·
To develop knowledge of the location of globally significant places.
·
Understand the processes that cause physical and human geographical
features.
·
Learn how to collect, analyse and present a range of geographical data.
·
Understand a range of sources of geographical information (such as map
reading).
·
Communicate geographical knowledge in a range of ways.
Below is what children are expected to know by the end of the academic year.
Challenges for the year are in italics:
Year 1:
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Can they identify the four countries that make up the UK?
Can they name some of the main towns and cities in the UK?
Can they point out the equator, the north pole and the south pole?
Can they name some towns in the north and south of the UK?
Year 2:
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Can they name the continents of the world and find them on an atlas?
Can they name the world's oceans and find them on an atlas?
Can they name the major cities of the UK?
Can they find where they live on a map?
Can they locate some of the world's major rivers and mountain ranges?
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Can they use the north, south, east and west of a compass?
Year 3:
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Can they name a number of countries in the northern hemisphere?
Can they name and locate some of the world's famous volcanoes?
Can they name and locate well known European countries?
Can they name and locate capital cities of neighbouring European
countries?
Are they aware of the different weather around the world?
Can they name the two largest seas around Europe?
Year 4:
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Can they locate the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn?
Do they know the difference between the British Isles, Great Britain and
the UK?
Do they know the countries that make up Europe?
Can they name up to six cities in the UK and locate them?
Can they locate and name some of the islands surrounding the UK?
Can they name the counties that make up their local area?
Can they name some of the main towns and cities in their local area?
Year 5:
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Can they name and locate many of the world's major rivers?
Can they name and locate many of the world's mountain ranges?
Can they locate the USA and Canada on an atlas?
Can they name and locate the main countries in South America?
Can they recognise the climate of a given country?
Year 6:
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Can they recognise key symbols using an ordnance survey map?
Can they name the largest desert in the world?
Can they name and locate the Tropics of Cancer, Tropics of Capricorn
and the Arctic and Antarctic circles?
Can they explain how the time zones work?
Can they name and locate the main canals in the UK?
Can they name the main lines of latitude and longitude?
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Or, for example, in table format for music below…
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