Early Years Curriculum Planner
The Learning Challenge Curriculum
At Cale Green Primary School we believe that children learn when they are fully
engaged and when the learning is exciting and relevant to them. To achieve this, and
to prepare children for the next stage of their learning journey in Key Stage 1, the
children follow a Learning Challenge Curriculum.
The Learning Challenge concept is built around the principle of involving children in
planning their own learning. It requires deep thinking and encourages the children to
work using a question as the starting point. Teachers and children use a ‘Prime
Learning Challenge,’ (expressed as a question) as the starting point. This is followed
by a series of smaller planned challenges. There is usually a new learning challenge
question each week. The important thing is that the learning challenges need to
make sense to the children and are within their immediate understanding.
Every Learning Challenge begins with a ‘WOW!’ This is something exciting that will
grab the children’s attention and ‘set the scene’ for the learning which will follow.
Each half term there will also be a specific planned outcome. This is what the
children will work towards with their weekly challenges.
Please see the planning below for examples of ‘WOWs’ and outcomes.
Nursery Long Term Plan
Autumn 1
Autumn 2
Spring 1
Spring 2
Summer 1
Summer 2
Big
Question
Big
Question
Big
Question
Big
Question
Big Question
Big
Question
How do I
get about?
Where does
the day go at
night?
How many
Nursery
Rhymes do
I know?
What
makes a
sound?
WOW
WOW
WOW
WOW
WOW
WOW
Listen and
join in with
songs and
rhymes
about
‘getting
about.’
Read ‘Owl
Babies’ in the
dark and
watch a ‘time
lapse’ film
showing
night turning
into day.
Open a
suitcase full
of props
and identify
the rhyme
they come
from?
Invite a
musician to
work with
the
children.
Use a variety
of colours,
textures and
techniques to
help children
express their
feelings.
Trip to Blue
Planet
Aquarium.
Which colours
make you feel
happy or sad?
What can I
do with
water?
Outcome
Outcome
Outcome
Outcome
Outcome
Outcome
Making a
wheeled
vehicle with
construction
kits, scrap
materials
and making
a car big
enough for
someone to
sit in.
Make and
perform a
shadow
theatre play
in the
blackout tent.
Perform
Nursery
Rhymes,
record them
on the IPad
and show
them to
parents.
A Nursery
Orchestra!
An indoor and
outdoor
exhibition of
the work
produced
showing our
feelings.
Answer
these
challenges
Can we
move water
without a
bucket?
What
happens to
the
cardboard
box when it
rains?
Reception Long Term Plan
Autumn 1
Autumn 2
Spring 1
Spring 2
Summer 1
Summer 2
Big
Question
Big
Question
Big
Question
Big
Question
Big
Question
Big
Question
What do I
know about
me?
Why are
there so
many
leaves on
the ground?
‘Twinkle,
twinkle little
star, how I
wonder
what you
are?’
Who are the
famous
characters
in our
books?
Was it once
a mixed up
time?
Who can I
ask for
help?
WOW
WOW
WOW
WOW
WOW
WOW
Bring in
photographs
of babies
and families.
A trip to the
park to
collect
autumn
objects and
explore
autumn
colours.
Take a trip
around the
Universe.
Visit to
Jodrell
Bank.
Dress as
characters
from books
and take a
trip the
library.
Interview
the big bad
wolf about
his crimes.
Visit from a
Police
Officer. Fire
Officer,
School
Nurse.
Outcome
Outcome
Outcome
Outcome
Outcome
Outcome
A unique
performance
Autumn
collage
using items
collected by
the children.
Create a
class
museum
and hold an
out of this
world
‘Space
Party’!
Recite and
re-tell our
favourite
stories to
the Nursery
children.
Make our
own fairy
tale books
containing
our favourite
stories.
What would
you like to
be when
you grow up
– ‘Fancy
Dress’ day?
‘Reception’s
Got Talent!’
What are our
special
qualities?