At Thurgoland CE Primary School, our curriculum provides a knowledge-rich, ambitious education that gives every child the strong foundations needed to succeed. Rooted in our Christian vision and underpinned by Christian and British values, we enable children to “Be, and become, their Best Selves” and make a positive contribution to the world.

 

Our curriculum is carefully sequenced so that knowledge, vocabulary and skills build cumulatively over time. Key concepts are revisited, embedded and applied, ensuring children know more and remember more. We see knowledge not as an endpoint, but as the foundation for future learning.

 

 

Knowledge builds over time – explicitly taught, revisited and secured in long-term memory.

Reading and language at the heart – high-quality texts and explicit vocabulary teaching enable full access to learning.

Enquiry-led learning – carefully designed questions promote curiosity, thinking and understanding.

Strong foundations in every subject – children develop both what they know and how they think as historians, geographers, scientists and artists.

High expectations for all – an inclusive and ambitious curriculum for every child to ‘Aim High’, including those with SEND and those who are disadvantaged.

 

Children explore their local area and the wider world, developing understanding of place, time and society. They study significant people, events and civilisations, and consider themes such as diversity, equality, sustainability and global responsibility.

 

 

Key concepts are revisited across subjects to deepen understanding over time. In history, children build knowledge through concepts such as chronology, society and change, and invaders and settlers. In geography, learning develops through location, place, physical processes and sustainability. In science, concepts such as materials, forces, living things and scientific enquiry are revisited and applied.

 

Learning is sequenced so that knowledge builds lesson by lesson and year by year. Subjects are structured around enquiry questions, enabling children to revisit prior learning, make connections and deepen understanding.

 

This coherence is strengthened through meaningful links across subjects. For example, in Year 3, children studying the Stone Age in history explore rocks and fossils in science, enabling them to understand how evidence from the natural world informs our knowledge of the past. In Year 5, children studying the Ancient Maya civilisation deepen their understanding of the wider world through geography and extend their scientific knowledge through topics such as Earth and space. Across the curriculum, learning about climate and environmental change progresses from local observations in Key Stage 1 to global understanding of sustainability and climate change in Key Stage 2.

 

In art, children revisit key concepts such as sketching, colour, texture and form, applying these across a range of contexts and linking to other subjects. For example, children study cave art alongside the Stone Age and explore cultural art forms when learning about different societies, strengthening connections between artistic and historical understanding.

 

Through this approach, children encounter key ideas repeatedly in different contexts, securing knowledge and deepening understanding over time.

 

 

Our curriculum develops children to:’ Love to Learn’; ‘Give it a go’ ; ‘Show Respect’; “Be Resilient’; and “Aim High’. They are encouraged to question, investigate and problem-solve, applying their knowledge critically across contexts. We promote resilience and self-belief, ensuring children understand that mistakes are part of learning. This creates reflective learners who are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

 

 

Assessment is purposeful and responsive. It identifies gaps, informs teaching and ensures all children make strong progress.