Claire Grief
Dulwich College Seoul
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Three ways to make children feel clever:
◦ Give them a wide variety of experiences – don’t
narrow the curriculum to basic skills.
◦ Let children fail so they can then have a new idea.
◦ Work hard – let children have fun working hard at
things that interest and motivate them.
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Four main principles of a creative curriculum:
◦ Make it real - try to use a stimulus at the beginning of
the theme to provoke lines of enquiry from the start
(‘wow starter’).
◦ Let pupils steer learning - try to allow the children’s
lines of enquiries to steer the theme’s direction.
◦ Don’t over plan - try to respond to lines of enquiry
that come up later in the theme. Remember not all
children are provoked at the same time.
◦ Build momentum – ‘wow starter’ at the beginning,
leading to a theme week / day at the end.
Creativity is not just
‘done on a Wednesday
afternoon.’ It can be
developed in all subjects.
Chris Quigley
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A way of delivering a ‘creative curriculum’.
Developed after the ‘The Cambridge Primary
Review’.
Key point of the review:
◦ Respect children’s experience, voices and rights. Engage
them actively and directly in decisions that affect their
learning.
◦ http://www.learningchallengecurriculum.com
5
Autumn
Spring
Summer
Year R
Where do the
wheels on the bus
go?
What is under the
Christmas tree?
Why would a
dinosaur not
make a good pet?
What could we
ask the farmer?
Twinkle twinkle
little star, how I
wonder what you
are?
Why do I like to
be beside the
seaside? (What
could I win a
medal for?)
Year 1
What’s happening
down our road?
Why wouldn’t a
dinosaur make a
good pet?
What would my
life be like if I
lived in France?
Who’s afraid of
the Big Bad Wolf?
What would you
do if you met an
alien?
How could Shrek
win a gold medal?
Year 2
How am I like
Shrek?
What’s in our
shopping bag?
Is the Wii more
fun than my
grandparents
toys?
What happens to
my rubbish?
What happens if I
dial 999? (SATS)
How can I be the
next Olympic
champion?
Year 3
Why do they
make me brush?
To give or to get?
Is sound or light
more useful?
How far can we
travel from
Ashford?
Where does our
water go?
How can we run
faster?
Year 4
Was Kingsnorth
cool in the
1970’s?
Would you be
more famous as a
hero or a villain?
Why do natural
disasters happen?
Why did the
Victorians live in
a house like this?
What can Wall-E
teach us about
global warming ?
How could you
train to be an
Olympic
champion?
Year 5
Why are spiders
scary?
How can I make
money?
How has space
travel changed
my life?
Shakespeare’s
dead…isn’t he?
Why do roads in
Ashford have
Roman names?
How will the
London Olympics
affect us in
Ashford?
Year 6
What’s the best
way to cross the
Channel?
How can we
honour War
Heroes?
(Who kidnapped
Father
Christmas?)
How can we
create an
addictive
computer game?
Should Nelson
Mandela have
been sent to
prison?
How do the Arts
make us better
people?
How could I win
Olympic Gold?
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Outcom
e
What our
exciting
starting point
was all about.
I can tell
someone
what I learnt
R
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w
7
What we
already knew
and what we
would like to
find out
Applied skills
of Literacy,
numeracy and
ICT we hope
to acquire
Some Science based / related examples:
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Prime
Learning
Challenges
Prime Learning
Challenges that work:
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Why would a dinosaur not make a
good pet? (Animals / habitats)
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Is the Wii more fun than my grandma
and granddad’s old toys? (Electricity)
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How will global warming impact on
your life? (Living things in their
Environment)
8
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How can we save Frosty the Snowman?

What causes the Earth to get angry?
(Characteristics of and changing materials)
(Forces and Motion)
Prime LC : Why would a dinosaur not make a good pet?
Learning
Challenges
Year 2
Example
9
Wow
Find a very large egg in the class and the
children have to find out where it has come
from and whose egg it is
LC1
Who does this egg belong to?
LC2
What does a dinosaur need to survive?
LC3
What can you find out about a particular
dinosaur?
LC4
How can you re-create your own dinosaur
land?
LC5
How can you classify dinosaurs?
LC6
How can we recreate the sound and
movements of the dinosaurs?
LC7
How do you know that dinosaurs really
roamed the Earth?
LC8
Reflection: How can you produce a TV
programme about dinosaurs?
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Activity:
◦ Design a thematic plan for one of these ‘Prime Learning Challenge
Questions’ including:
 A ‘wow’ moment.
 A series of Learning Challenges (questions) – one per week. Think
about how all of the subjects would link in!
 Outcome – theme day / something big to work towards.
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Outcom
e
What our
exciting
starting point
was all about.
I can tell
someone
what I learnt
R
e
v
i
e
w
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What we
already knew
and what we
would like to
find out
Applied skills
of Literacy,
numeracy and
ICT we hope
to acquire
Delivering the curriculum:

Pre
Learning
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12
Engaging the learners in
the process – WOW!
Getting a clear picture
of what learners already
know / want to know.
Taking account of
interest levels.
Picking up on
misconceptions.
Pre
Learning
Year 4: What causes the Earth to get angry?
13
14
In this example learners have
been asked to record what they
feel they already know about
Liverpool before embarking on
the Prime Learning Challenge:
‘Has Liverpool always been a
famous city?’
This mixed ability,
self-chosen group
clearly showed the
broad knowledge
they had thus far
when focusing on
the prime learning
challenge: ‘Can we
explain what the
Tudor explorers did
for us?’
A misconception
15
16
What we think we already know about
habitats?
What we would like to find out?
•
Why do polar bears and penguins
live where they do?
•
Badgers live in burrows under the ground
•
Turtles, tortoises, parrots all live in the
Rainforests
•
How many animals exist in the
world?
•
Tigers live in rainforests but the rainforests
are being destroyed
•
In the past why did dinosaurs die
out?
•
Dogs live in pet shops, in the wild and at
our houses
•
•
Sea creatures live in water
What is the difference between the
places hares and rabbits live?
•
Lions live in the savannah
•
Do cats like being domesticated?
•
Birds make nests and live in trees
•
•
Humans are animals and they build their
own habitat
Why do some creatures live under
the ground?
•
•
Mice live under the ground in the wild
Why are there such creatures as
dragon lizards if dinosaurs have
died out?
•
Swans and ducks live in canals, ponds and
lakes
•
•
Polar bears live in the North Pole but are
affected by the rainforests being cut down
Why can some animals live in
extreme heat?
•
Have crocodiles always lived in
water?
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Outcom
e
What our
exciting
starting point
was all about.
I can tell
someone
what I learnt
R
e
v
i
e
w
18
What we
already knew
and what we
would like to
find out
Applied skills
of Literacy,
numeracy and
ICT we hope
to acquire
Delivering the curriculum:
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Reflection
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19
Building in the Principle of
‘Learning to Learn’.
Giving time for reviewing
their work.
May require direction or
guidance early on.
20
21
22
23
Pre Learning
Wow
One of the parents will bring in a telescope
which will need to be built and then pupils
will be able to use.
What Learners
already knew?
What Learners want
to find out?
LC1
Who was Neil Armstrong and what
could we ask him if we met him?
LC2
Could we describe the Earth and the
Sun as space cousins?
LC3
If the Earth and Sun are cousins, is
the moon a young nephew?
LC4
How can we create a moon landing
site?
LC5
How can we create our own moon
landing documentary?
LC6
How could we communicate with a
UFO?
LC7
What job would you choose to do in
a space station?
- All knew that there are
planets, that the Earth has its
own moon and that there is
one moon
- All knew the concept of day
and night linked to the Sun
- HA – could name the planets
- A few knew who Neil
Armstrong was
- A few of HA’s knew what
astronomers do
- A few knew that Star clusters
had specific names
- One knew that some planets
had more than one moon.
- One talked about the
possibility that Pluto was no
longer considered to be a
planet
- How do space men eat and go
to the toilet in space?
- Boys- How do astronauts
train?
- Why don’t the planets fall
down?
- How fast does a rocket go?
- Is there a lot of junk out
there?
-Do spacemen get hot in those
suits?
-What is the furthest
spacemen have travelled?
-How many astronauts have
been up in space?
-Is there any other life-form out
in space?
LC8
Reflection: How did people celebrate
the moon landing in 1968?
Visits and Visitors
Parent coming in with a telescope.
Video conference with a Jodrell Bank astronomer
Planetarium – school visit
LC2: Could we describe the Earth and the Sun as space cousins?
Activities
•
•
•
•
•
•
Focus on the relationship between the Sun and the Earth.
Use the children in the hall to help them understand the relationship – how the Earth moves around the Sun and the spinning
movement of the Earth.
Carry out research to find out more about the relationship
Use documentary film clips to help the understanding
Children to produce their own booklets to explain the relationships – fact files
Create a class model to show the relationship
Subject Challenges:
Embedded Writing:
Science – Physical Processes
Fact File – non fiction – explanation texts
Oracy
Embedded Numeracy:
Discussions and Explaining the relationships
Using scales, large numbers, measurement activities
Empowering Learning
ICT Skills
Team Workers
Independent Enquirer
Resourceful Thinker
Internet work
Digital Media
LC2: Could we describe the Earth and the Sun as space cousins?
Activities
•
•
•
•
•
•
Focus on the relationship between the Sun and the Earth.
Use the children in the hall to help them understand the relationship – how the Earth moves around the Sun and the spinning
movement of the Earth.
Carry out research to find out more about the relationship
Use documentary film clips to help the understanding
Children to produce their own booklets to explain the relationships – fact files
Create a class model to show the relationship
Subject Challenges:
Science
Emerging
Expected
Exceeded
• Can they explain why there is a
change of direction/change of
speed/change of shape? (using cause
and effect)
• Can they say why something happens
linked to something else? (cause and
effect)
• Can they explain something using
their scientific ideas? (make
generalisation)
• Can they explain why it looks like the
Sun moves during the day?
• Can they describe and explain how
motion is affected by forces? (incl
gravitational attractions, magnetic
attraction and friction)
• Can they describe and explain using
their scientific knowledge?
• Can they explain how shadows are
formed?
• Can they explain why it looks like the
Sun moves during the day?
• Can they explain changes linked to
forces and motion?
• Can they explain changes linked to
light?
LC2: Could we describe the Earth and the Sun as space cousins?
Activities
•
•
•
•
•
•
Focus on the relationship between the Sun and the Earth.
Use the children in the hall to help them understand the relationship – how the Earth moves around the Sun and the spinning
movement of the Earth.
Carry out research to find out more about the relationship
Use documentary film clips to help the understanding
Children to produce their own booklets to explain the relationships – fact files
Create a class model to show the relationship
Embedded Writing:
Explanation Texts
Emerging
Expected
Exceeded
•
•
•
•
•
Do their explanations follow
one another in the order that
things happen?
Have they included a heading
in a large clear font?
Did they include illustrations
and diagrams, if appropriate?
•
•
Is their explanation set out in
an organised way that is
sequenced?
Have they been able to focus
on a strong introduction that
raises a clear question and is
followed by a logically ordered
series of reasons that lead to a
conclusion?
Have they given careful
thought as to whether
subheadings would be helpful?
•
Have they been consistent in
the use of tenses in their
explanation?
When writing an explanation
text have they been able to
focus on the specific language
and presentational features,
such as diagrams, charts, etc.?
LC2: Could we describe the Earth and the Sun as space cousins?
Activities
•
•
•
•
•
•
Focus on the relationship between the Sun and the Earth.
Use the children in the hall to help them understand the relationship – how the Earth moves around the Sun and the spinning
movement of the Earth.
Carry out research to find out more about the relationship
Use documentary film clips to help the understanding
Children to produce their own booklets to explain the relationships – fact files
Create a class model to show the relationship
Oracy
Emerging
Expected
Exceeded
• Can they prepare for factual research
by talking about what they know,
what is needed, what is available and
where they might search?
• Can they present information orally
using a variety of sources in simple
formats, e.g. chart, labelled diagram,
graph, matrix?
• Can they routinely prepare for factual
research by reviewing what is known,
what is needed, what is available and
where one might search?
• Do they appraise potentially useful
texts quickly and effectively?
• Can they locate information in a text
in print or on screen confidently and
efficiently through using contents,
indexes, sections, headings ?
• Having pooled information on a topic,
can they explain their plan for
researching further information.?
• Can they routinely appraise a text
quickly and explain what they are
going to do?
• Can they evaluate the language, style
and effectiveness of examples of nonfiction writing such as periodicals,
reviews, reports, leaflets and explain
why they are as they are?
LC2: Could we describe the Earth and the Sun as space cousins?
Activities
•
•
•
•
•
•
Focus on the relationship between the Sun and the Earth.
Use the children in the hall to help them understand the relationship – how the Earth moves around the Sun and the spinning
movement of the Earth.
Carry out research to find out more about the relationship
Use documentary film clips to help the understanding
Children to produce their own booklets to explain the relationships – fact files
Create a class model to show the relationship
Numeracy
Data Handling/ Measurement
Emerging
Expected
Exceeded
• Can they measure a length to the
nearest ½ cm?
• Can they read between labeled
divisions such as halfway between 40
and 50?
• Can they compare data (say how
many more than..)?
• Can they measure accurately using a
range of instruments, ruler, trundle
wheels, etc?
• Can they check their answers and
make sure they make sense?
• Can they use accurate vocabulary to
explain their solutions?
• Can they change metric into imperial
measurement?
• When drawing conclusions, can they
identify further questions to ask?
• Can they scale of 1:1000 when
organising their diagrams?
• Can they solve problems
involving the conversion of
units?
Key Ingredients:
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High levels of child ownership
Creative Challenges
Discrete/thematic teaching
Fluency in key subject skills
Creative starters
6 week units of work
An engaging unit title
A focus text
First hand experience – visit/visitor
Use of the outdoors
Enterprise projects
Mix together and have FUN!
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50% of the Science Curriculum!
Children use Science skills in every
investigative Science lesson:
◦ Two WALT’s / L.O.’s to demonstrate:
 Find out how the texture of the ramp affects how far
the car travels.
 Measure accurately and record in tables.
◦ Identify in some other way:
• Find out how the texture of the ramp
affects how far the car travels.
• Measure accurately and record in tables.
• How does the texture of the ramp affect
how far the car travels?
• Can you measure accurately?
• Can you record results in a table?
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Think of an investigation you did recently.
What was the WALT / L.O.?

Now……..

◦ Can you re-phrase the WALT / L.O. as a question if
it wasn’t already?
◦ Can you identify all of the skills used in the
investigation?
◦ Can you make another WALT / L.O. to address the
skills being used?
◦ Can you make this into a question?

Planning:
◦ Skills Progression Sheets - to identify what skills
should be being taught / achieved.

Assessment:
◦ APP - skills and knowledge. Useful method of
assessment?
◦ I can statements – skills and knowledge. Follows the
child through school and statements are
highlighted.
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AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust website
Sc1 focused assessment information:
http://www.azteachscience.co.uk/scienceteaching/curriculum-materials/scientific-enquirysc1.aspx
Sc1 focused assessment task plans:
http://www.azteachscience.co.uk/scienceteaching/curriculum-materials/scientific-enquirysc1/planning-sheets-for-scientific-inquiry-sc1-focusedassessment.aspx
Link the assessment of particular Sc1 objectives to specific
places on the LTP.
Questions?
Thank you
for listening