Curriculum Intent

The history and geography curriculum at Wooburn Green Primary School is thoughtfully crafted to place pupils’ social, moral, spiritual, and cultural development at its heart. It encourages children to explore, question, and discuss the world around them, fostering a deep understanding of historical events, diverse cultures, and global environments. Through engaging and creative learning experiences, the curriculum promotes academic success, critical thinking, and problem-solving, while nurturing a growth mindset, well-being, and positive learning behaviours. By celebrating diversity and leveraging real-world learning opportunities, our curriculum enriches pupils’ cultural capital, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and values to thrive in Modern Britain.

Curriculum Implementation

At WGPS, our Topic curriculum for history and geography has been meticulously designed and draws upon the philosophy of Johnathan Lear. We bring the curriculum to life for children of all backgrounds and academic abilities through a combination of exciting and authentic real-life experiences, coupled with teaching children the skills of peer critique, mastery, thinking for themselves and taking a huge amount of care and pride in their work.

The history and geography curriculum for each year group has been mapped out to ensure progression through a themed approach. This allows for depth of learning, impact and children to explore key questions and themes. Each teacher has been part of a process in which long-term plans were developed to allowed for a weekly teaching sequence to emerge and ensure coverage.

This allows our curriculum at WGPS to meet the NC and have a balance between knowledge and facts and experiences. SMSC (spiritual, moral, social and cultural development) is at the heart of our curriculum and it’s designed in that way to allow for cultural experiences and a deeper understanding of the wider world.

Each term, every year group has a main philosophical topic question in which their learning is based around. This key question will link to a theme. For example, in the Autumn Term in Year 6, the main topic question is ‘Does adversity make us stronger?’ They aim to answer this question by learning about World War Two. Our history and geography curriculum follows a process in order for our children to be able to answer these philosophical questions confidently. Each new unit starts with a ‘hook’ lesson to get the children excited about their learning. This could be a trip, workshop or experience such as digging up artefacts in the school grounds for example. The philosophical key question is then referred to throughout the unit of work to allow for depth of learning. Having these opportunities for a depth of learning and development of key skills allows our children to be ready to progress onto their next steps in learning and life and be well rounded citizens.

For art and DT, we have implemented the Kapow combined art and DT curriculum which ensure NC objectives are being met in these subjects. The Kapow approach is detailed in the knowledge, skills and vocabulary documents found on this page. 

Curriculum Impact

Our well planned history and geography curriculum ensures staff feel confident in the teaching of Topic and take ownership over the learning journey. The hook lesson at the start of each unit engages and inspires pupils in their topic. Children complete a cold task which allows them to show what they know in relation to the main topic question and general theme of the before learning begins. They periodically revisit a 'thought journey' throughout the unit of work which allow them think about what the main question means, how they can answer it using what they have learnt throughout the unit of work and how to relate it to their life. 

Written work in learning books demonstrate the majority of pupils achieve age related expectations and more pupils are achieving greater depth as our questioning model enables the children to deepen their understanding of their topic.

For Art and DT, the impact of using the Kapow curriculum ensures children: 

★ Produce creative work, exploring and recording ideas, experiences, and user needs through models, prototypes, and products.

★ Demonstrate proficiency in drawing, painting, sculpture, crafting, digital design (CAD), and manufacturing techniques using tools and materials.

★ Understand functional, aesthetic, and nutritional properties of materials, resources, and food groups, applying principles of healthy eating and sustainable design.

★ Evaluate, analyse, and self-reflect on creative and technological works using subject-specific language, identifying improvements at key stages.

★ Build innovative outcomes that address real-world scenarios, communities, and environmental issues.

★ Appreciate key artists, inventors, historical events, and cultural developments shaping art, design, and technology.

★ Meet end-of-Key-Stage expectations in the National Curriculum for both Art & Design and Design & Technology.

Assessment Information

Each unit of work within our Topic curriculum is based around a philosophical question. These key questions are asked at the beginning and end of each unit as an assessment tool. Within KS1, teachers are able to support children in recording their ideas to these questions within whole class, small group and one to one discussion both at the beginning and end of each unit. In KS2, there is the expectation that children are to reflect on their own thoughts and opinions and record these into their Topic books at the beginning and end of each unit. It is hoped through the unit of teaching that the children are then able to answer these questions in more depth, drawing upon what has been taught throughout the unit. Having children answer these questions at the beginning of a unit of work also supports the teacher in understanding the pitch and starting point for each unit. This way we are able to tailor the curriculum to the needs of the children within our school, to support them in achieving their authentic outcome and assess their understanding throughout each unit of work.