Humanities (geography, history and religious education)
Early Years Foundation Stage – Understanding the world
The educational programme for understanding the world, set out in the EYFS Framework, is delivered in our reception classes in line with the Extend Reception Curriculum.
Key Stage 1 and 2 – humanities: history, geography and religious education
We follow the national curriculum for history and geography. Our curriculum for religious education is broad and balanced.
In key stage 1, we teach history and geography in line with our multi-academy trust’s ‘Extend Early Curriculum’ and we use [INSERT SCHEME NAME] for religious education
In key stage 2, we follow the Opening Worlds curriculum to teach all humanities subjects.
Note: we introduced Opening Worlds in September 2023. The Opening Worlds' team strongly recommended for the material to be taught in sequence because each part makes the next part much more understandable. Numerous words that are explicitly taught and practised in Year 3 are then revisited in lessons in Years 4-6. If children do not have the secure knowledge of the content and vocabulary of the Year 3 curriculum this is likely to slow progress and limit enjoyment. Therefore, all key stage 2 children started with the Year 3 Opening Worlds curriculum in the 2023/24 academic year. This means in 2025-26, Years 5 and 6 are following the Year 5 curriculum. Any national curriculum content gaps as a result of changing the scheme of work were identified and have been addressed through experiential visits.
“One acid test for a curriculum is whether it enables even lower-attaining or disadvantaged pupils to clamber into the discourse and practices of educated people, so that they gain the powers of the powerful”– Christine Counsell
What is our intent for Humanities?
At Mead Vale Primary School, our vision is for all children to Work Hard and Be Kind through our core values of Courage, Curiosity and Community. The humanities curriculum aims to develop every child’s cultural capital through embedding powerful knowledge in a subject-based curriculum. We want children to know and be curious about the world around us and how it has changed over time, celebrating diversity and contributing to the culture, creativity and wealth of our local and national community
As a school, we follow the national curriculum for History, Geography and RE. To support with the teaching of these areas, the school have carefully selected schemes of learning to ensure our children assess a knowledge-rich and progressively sequenced offer.
In KS1, we follow the ELAN scheme of learning for History and Geography. Our KS1 History and Geography curriculum is knowledge-rich and progressively sequenced so that learners have the opportunity to develop a lifelong passion for Geography and History. Through familiar and unfamiliar experiences, children will develop an understanding of ‘humankind’ and their place within it. In RE, we follow discovery RE. We follow this scheme of work because it gives the children the opportunity to learn about a number of different religions in depth and gives them the chance to enquire and deepen their respect for people that are different and whose beliefs differ.
For KS2 we have adopted the Opening Worlds humanities curriculum for history, geography and religious education. This builds on key knowledge and skills learnt in KS1. As a school, we deliberately selected this scheme of learning because Opening Worlds curriculum and its associated teaching approaches secures the highest possible quality of education for pupils.
Implementation of Opening Worlds
All KS2 children have started with the year 3 units from Opening worlds this is because the material is taught in sequence because each part makes the next part much more understandable. Vocabulary that is explicitly taught and practised in Year 3 are then taken for granted in lessons in Year 4-6. If children do not have the secure knowledge of the content and vocabulary of the Year 3 curriculum, this is likely to slow progress and limit enjoyment.
As a result of moving from the school’s previous curriculum to Opening Worlds, the school has identified a small number of content gaps. These have been noted within our current year 5 and 6 only and will be addressed though experiential trips for example year 6 will visit Worle High street and meet a local historian to look at local history and changes overtime.
