Creating an Inspiring and Creating an Inspiring and Engaging CurriculumEngaging Curriculum

If pupils don’t learn the way we If pupils don’t learn the way we teach, perhaps we should teach teach, perhaps we should teach the way they learn the way they learn

Eppig 1981Eppig 1981

Our BackgroundOur Background

New HeadshipNew Headship QCA Schemes of WorkQCA Schemes of Work Ready for Change?Ready for Change? Arts and Book WeeksArts and Book Weeks

What did we do first?What did we do first?

Used CPD opportunitiesUsed CPD opportunities Researched pedagogy around creative Researched pedagogy around creative

curriculumcurriculum Implemented Excellence and Enjoyment Implemented Excellence and Enjoyment

WeeksWeeks Pyramid Primary Strategy Learning Pyramid Primary Strategy Learning

Network project on creativity Network project on creativity Dusted off National CurriculumDusted off National Curriculum Had a go!Had a go!

Health and Fitness WeekHealth and Fitness Week

Taking the PlungeTaking the Plunge Moved away from QCA Schemes of WorkMoved away from QCA Schemes of Work 2 year rolling plan of topics planned from the NC2 year rolling plan of topics planned from the NC Visits and visitors organised Visits and visitors organised Emphasis on investigation and skills developmentEmphasis on investigation and skills development Pupils involved in curriculum planningPupils involved in curriculum planning Opportunities and funding eg Creative Opportunities and funding eg Creative

Partnerships (Brightspace)Partnerships (Brightspace) Implemented a plan, do, review cycle Implemented a plan, do, review cycle Evaluated successes and areas for developmentEvaluated successes and areas for development Took learning outside and brought the outside inTook learning outside and brought the outside in

Learning outside the classroomLearning outside the classroom

……in the forestin the forest

……and bringing the outside inand bringing the outside in

QCA Co-DevelopmentQCA Co-Development

Became involved in QCA Co-development Became involved in QCA Co-development Began Pyramid work on joint projectsBegan Pyramid work on joint projects Implemented Pyramid WeeksImplemented Pyramid Weeks Joint CPD and planning Joint CPD and planning Flexible use of time and place – taking Flexible use of time and place – taking

learning out of the classroom and learning out of the classroom and bringing the outside inbringing the outside in

Using Gateways…SustainabilityUsing Gateways…Sustainability

Food and Farming WeekFood and Farming Week

Learning Through EnquiryLearning Through Enquiry

Visits to Broomfields and the Visits to Broomfields and the Ombersley AllotmentOmbersley Allotment

Mantle of the Expert:Mantle of the Expert:Visitors to the Organic FarmVisitors to the Organic Farm

We were fish farmers as well!We were fish farmers as well!

Ready Steady Cook Celebration Ready Steady Cook Celebration EventEvent

New National Curriculum New National Curriculum Review GroupReview Group

Began working with QCA and Sir Jim Rose on the Began working with QCA and Sir Jim Rose on the 2011 National Curriculum2011 National Curriculum

Considering the unique nature of the Primary PhaseConsidering the unique nature of the Primary Phase Working on Aims and ObjectivesWorking on Aims and Objectives Areas of Learning – what would these look like?Areas of Learning – what would these look like? Essentials of Learning and Life - interwoven and Essentials of Learning and Life - interwoven and

integralintegral Trialling and evaluating aspects with other Trialling and evaluating aspects with other

Droitwich schoolsDroitwich schools Planning activities using the Draft Orders – Global Planning activities using the Draft Orders – Global

Dimensions book WeekDimensions book Week

Our first trialOur first trial

A Pyramid Book Week using a A Pyramid Book Week using a Global Dimensions Gateway and Global Dimensions Gateway and planning from the Essentials for planning from the Essentials for Learning and Life and the English, Learning and Life and the English, Communication and Languages Area Communication and Languages Area of Learningof Learning

Year 2 looked at stories and the culture of India.

We tried on saris and shalwar kameeze.

We tasted poppadoms, naan bread, chutney and raita.

We made Lassi, which is an Indian drink made from crushed ice, yoghurt, milk and mangoes.

And more recently…And more recently…

A Pyramid ‘I Want To Be’ Week using a A Pyramid ‘I Want To Be’ Week using a Community Community Cohesion Cohesion GatewayGateway

Learning from experts and having a Learning from experts and having a go!go!

Learning from experts and having a Learning from experts and having a go!go!

What about sugarcraft and cake What about sugarcraft and cake decorating?decorating?

We could be designers or vets…We could be designers or vets…

Busy being archaeologists, fire Busy being archaeologists, fire fighters, farmers and nurses…fighters, farmers and nurses…

Imagination is intelligence Imagination is intelligence having funhaving fun

Making learning irresistibleMaking learning irresistible

……both for adults and children!both for adults and children!

Education is what survives when what has been learned

has been forgotten.

Anon

What are the benefits?What are the benefits? Children are excited about their learning Children are excited about their learning Parents say their children talk about what Parents say their children talk about what

they have been doingthey have been doing Teachers plan lessons that they find Teachers plan lessons that they find

interestinginteresting Learning is personalisedLearning is personalised Children remember what they have doneChildren remember what they have done There has been a noticeable improvement in There has been a noticeable improvement in

confidence, speaking and listening, confidence, speaking and listening, independence, and learning skills such as independence, and learning skills such as research and enquiryresearch and enquiry

Learning is fun Learning is fun

If you want the rainbow, you’ve If you want the rainbow, you’ve got to put up with a little rain.got to put up with a little rain.

Dolly PartonDolly Parton

What are the drawbacks?What are the drawbacks?

Teachers may find it harder to plan as Teachers may find it harder to plan as not prescriptivenot prescriptive

It requires risk taking and letting goIt requires risk taking and letting goNeed to ensure depth of coverageNeed to ensure depth of coverageNot time related and requires Not time related and requires

flexibility of timeflexibility of timeIt is harder to measure progress in soft It is harder to measure progress in soft

skillsskills

In The Words of the ChildrenIn The Words of the Children

To learn it, we actually have to To learn it, we actually have to do it and feel itdo it and feel it

Boy aged 8Boy aged 8