Aston Tower Curriculum Overview Y1-6
September 2014
The purpose of the National Curriculum is:
‘... a curriculum which is balanced and broadly based and which:
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Promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at
the school and of society, and
Prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences
of later life’.
The national curriculum in England (September 2013), paragraph 2.1
At Aston Tower the aims of our curriculum are to:
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Ensure all of our children succeed and achieve the highest goals in their personal and
academic development;
Promote a love and enjoyment of learning;
Ensure children become confident and resilient individuals who are able to respond
well to the challenges of life;
Develop, to a high standard, pupils’ skills in speaking, reading, writing and
mathematics, along with an ability to apply and use such skills in real life situations;
Promote pupils’ spiritual, social, cultural, physical and moral development;
Develop pupils’ artistic, scientific and technological skills, their understanding of the
world and the human and environmental factors that have shaped it;
Encourage children to live healthily and keep safe
Develop their skills of working independently and recognise the value of working
collaboratively
Ensure children are well prepared for the next stage of their learning and for the
challenges and opportunities of adult life.
The core subjects of English, Mathematics and Science are taught as discrete subjects. The
foundation subjects of Computing, Languages, Music and Physical Education are also taught
discretely.
The curriculum for Art and Design, Design and Technology, Geography and History, is
grouped into topics in our creative curriculum as shown:
Key Stage 2
Autumn
Transition
(2 Weeks)
Y6
Autumn Term
Spring Term
Summer Term
“Is it right to fight?”
“Why did the Mayans rise
and then fall?”
“How was the lake/peak
district formed?”
SATs preparation
The rise and fall of Classical
period Mayan society.
Climate zones, biomes and
vegetation belts; Central,
North and South America.
History and Geography
The Lake/Peak District
Geographical study of an
area, physical features.
Use of maps and fieldwork
for physical features of an
area.
Geography
Textiles and Printing
Drawing
“Where do we really live?”
“What does it mean to be
fair?”
World War 2
A turning point in British
History, WW2 – particularly
the Battle of Britain.
Locations of key events in
WW2.
Europe’s physical and
human features.
History with some
Geography
Y4
Y3
“Who is in my class?” Cultural heritage of pupils, families and teachers.
Y5
Painting and ICT
“What do we have to thank
the Greeks for?”
Ancient Greece
City states
Ancient and modern Greek
physical and human
geography
History with some
Geography
Local area study of Aston
Fieldwork of human
geography of an area.
Geography
Painting and ICT
Fair trade and slavery
Trade, distribution of
resources.
The abolition of slavery.
Geography with some
History.
Printing and Textiles
Drawing and Clay
“Vikings: Good guys or bad
guys?”
Vikings
Viking raids, resistance up to
the death of Edward the
confessor.
UK geography, rivers etc.
Distribution of natural
resources in the UK.
History and Geography
Clay and 3D
“Civilisation: Where did it
begin?”
Ancient Egypt
Ancient civilisations and in
depths study.
The River Nile, then and
now, climate zones, biomes,
rivers and the water cycle.
Human geography including
use of water as a resource
(both Ancient and modern
Egypt).
History and Geography
Drawing and Textiles
“After the Romans left,
could it get any worse?”
“How did people used to live
in Birmingham?”
Anglo Saxons and Scots
Anglo Saxon life, culture and
settlements
Land use and how this has
changed over time.
History and Geography
Tudors
Similarities and differences
between UK places. Human
and physical.
History and Geography
Painting and ICT
Textiles and Printing
“What was life in Britain like
before the Romans arrived?”
“What did the Romans do
for us?”
Stone age to Iron age
Bronze and Iron age religion,
technology and culture.
Geography of the UK –
regions, physical
characteristics.
History and Geography
Romans in Britain, invasion,
Hadrians wall etc.
Volcanoes and Earthquakes
– Pompei.
History and Geography
3D and Painting
Clay and Printing
Y2
Y1
“Who is in my class?” Cultural heritage of pupils, families and teachers.
Autumn
Transition
(2 Weeks)
Autumn Term
Spring Term
Summer Term
“Where do we live?”
“Who lives here?”
“How do you solve an
unsolvable problem?”
Our locality
Significant places, people
and events in locality.
Aerial photos, maps and
similarities and differences
between locality and a
contrasting locality.
History and Geography
SATs preparation
Habitats of animals
Seasonal and daily weather
in the UK.
Physical features of the UK
Geography
Drawing
Textiles and Painting
“Who am I?”
Ourselves
Living memory changes.
Human features e.g. City.
Seven continents and 5
oceans.
History and Geography
Clay and Drawing
“Who are the King and
Queen of the Castle?”
Kings and Castles
The English Civil War
Settlements, UK knowledge,
Simple field work and
investigation. Aerial
photographs.
History and Geography
Inventions and inventors.
Industrial revolution in West
Midlands, comparison
between then and now.
Geographical similarities and
differences between small
area of the UK and a
contrasting locality.
History and Geography
3D and ICT
“What makes something a
“Wonder of the world”?”
Special buildings around the
world
Significant global events,
festivals and anniversaries.
World knowledge, maps etc.
History and Geography
Printing and Drawing
Painting and 3D