Curriculum Map Examples from Islington Schools
Example 1
Sustainable Schools Curriculum Development Map
Year Group HT1
Foundation
Stage
Year 1
Year 2
HT2
HT3
HT4
HT5
HT6
Topics: Transport – road safety, sustainable travel, effects of cars on the environment.
People who help us – bin men and lollipop ladies.
The world around us / ourselves – healthy eating, rights of the child, making the world a happy place to be.
Animals and Mini-beasts – people’s effect on food chains and habitats
Water – pollution, oil spills, saving water around the home.
Growing – importance of plants and trees
Geography – local PSHCE: people
History – homes
area, local people
in the
now and then.
community/people Electricity uses
who help us
now and then.
How could we
use less
electricity?
R.E. – care for
Science – plants
.
Science –
the planet.
and animals in
materials
Geography –
local environment,
(recycling)
local area
school gardening.
contrasting
geography.
Geography –
weather around
the world.
Changes in
climate due to
global warming.
Year 3
Geography –
travel project
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Geography –
local environment
London
- letter writing
- persuasive
writing
ICT - text skills
(publisher).
Producing leaflets
to discuss
sustainable issues.
Geography –
impact of our
lifestyles on
countries like
Bangladesh
Science – impact
of climate change
and pollution on
animals’ habitats.
ICT – emails
Emailing to
campaign for a
particular cause.
ICT – power point
presentation to
present to younger
year groups in
assembly
P.E. –cycle
proficiency.
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Other Areas:
- Persuasive writing
- Letter writing
- PSHE – rights of the child and looking after the world, one little change making a difference.
- Electricity
- Bar charts and data collection
- PE, being healthy and healthy eating
- Spanish speaking countries
- Speaking and listening (debating)
- Note taking
- Poetry
- Keeping the classroom, playground and community areas tidy
Week 6
Week 7
Example 2
CPS Thematic Curriculum 1st Year of 2-Year Cycle
‘The Future’s in our hands: Sustainability on Planet Earth’
English Y5
Arguments –
sustainability theme
Years: 5 & 6
Term: Spring 2
Reading and writing non-fiction biodegradability focus
Revision of text types/genres for SATS.
English Y6
D2 –
Maths
E1 –
Facts, relationships and calculations, %,
fractions and decimals
Microbes
Calculations, measuring and shape, coordinates, translations, angles
Changing circuits
Assessment /
consolidation
Science
ICT
Control –
Go Control program
Sensing and monitoring – using digital cameras and
Window Movie Maker to make time-lapse microbes
study
History
Year 5 – What’s in the local & international news? Sustainability theme
Geography
Paul’s Journey
RE
PE
DT
Year 5 – Swimming. Peel Basketball
Year 6 – Coram’s football. Peel – Basketball
Fairgrounds –
electricity focus
Art
Music
Year 5 – African Drumming
Year 6 - none (SATS revision)
Easter
Getting on and falling out
PSHE
Example 3
DRAFT Year 5/6
5/6
Cycle 1
Topic
Wow! ideas
Hist
Geog
RE
and promotion of
community cohesion
ICT
Term 1
Term 2
Term 3
Zoom Zoom Zoom!
Idols and Icons
Inventors and
Inventions
Independent research project.
Influential People/Cultural Icons – eg. Nelson
Mandela, other political prisoners etc
Victorian London
Victorian Inventors
Victorian Inventions
Discovery of electricity
Trip to Heathrow observation
History of Aviation
Aviation during war times
Technological advances in aviation since 1930 –
including space travel
link
Environmental issue – 3rd runway at Heathrow
Global warming, Carbon footprints, Change in
land use
link
Places of worship
Multimedia authoring
– linked to topic
Intro to
spreadsheets. Plan
Christmas show
Independent Research Project on the country
that this person came from, influenced or a
country of their choice not necessarily linked
Sihkism
Evaluating information,
checking accuracy and
questioning plausibility
Powerpoint
presentation about
idol or icon
Hinduism
Controlling devices
Control and
monitoring
catering
(of websites used for
independent research)
End of year show
Music
Science
Forces and Earth, Sun and Moon
PSHE/Citiz
Art/Dt
Art - Containers
Link
Life cycles
How we see things (short)
link
SEAL
SEAL
DT – shelters or
another structure
Art- Visiting a
museum
Changing circuits (short unit)
Changing sounds
Link
including different ways of making electricity
eg. renewables
SEAL
D&T
Lighting it up
(Alarms)
D&T
Musical Instruments
PE
Energy and water
Travel and Traffic
Global Dimension
Local wellbeing
Inclusion and partic
Argument text
Persuasion
Global Dimension
Inclusion and Participation
Energy and Water
Inclusion and Participation
Biographies
Older Literature - Dickens
Topic
Zoom Zoom Zoom!
Idols and Icons
Inventors and
Inventions
5/6
Term 1
Term 2
Term 3
Sustainable
Schools
Doorway
Possible links to
Literacy
Cycle 2
Why come to London?
Topic
Wow! ideas
Hist
Visit Thames archeology
Geog
Weather and Climate
Why have people come to London in the past?
Look at Vikings
Britain and the Wider World – Queen
Elizabeth and Tudor Exploration
Trade routes
Space exploration
Why do people come to London now? Diversity
of locality. Tourism
Mapping the world –
revise mapping skills
Judaism
Places of Worship
RE
and promotion of
community cohesion
ICT
Explorers
Analysing data and
asking complex
searches
Graphical modeling –
linked to tourist
attractions visited
Using the internet to
search large
databases.
Community
Research, word
processing and
publishing related to
topic
Music
Science
Gases Around us More about dissolving
Reversible and Irreversible changes
Link
PSHE/Citiz
Art/DT
SEAL
Art
D&T
Art
Compare Arctic, Mediterranean and Dessert
Climate (see DVD)
An environmental issue - Climate Change
Tackling climate change including 3Rs and
saving energy, saving water
Monitoring
Spreadsheet modeling
environmental
(could look at planning
conditions and
end of year party)
changes
End of year show
Keeping Healthy
Microorganisms
Link
Interdependence and Adaptation
Impact of climate change on wildlife
Changing State
Link
SEAL
SEAL
D&T
DT - Slippers (adapt but it would involve
A sense of place
PE
Sustainable
Schools
Doorway
Biscuits
Objects and meanings
Bread
Food and Drink
Global Dimension
Local Wellbeing
Inclusion and Participation
Food and Drink
Global Dimension
Possible links to
Literacy
Persuasive Writing
Biographies
Topic
Why come to London?
Explorers
sewing)
Art - What a performance (could make
costumes for end of year show)
Energy and Water
Global Dimension
Purchasing and Waste
Weather and Climate
DRAFT Year 3/4
3/4
Cycle 1
Topic
Wow! ideas
Hist
Geog
Term 1
Term 2
Term 3
Greece
Invaders and Settlers
Incredible Egyptians
Ancient Greece
link
Invaders and settlers
(Romans)
Contrasting European Locality
Greece
Including impact of tourism on Greek Islands
and problems of air quality in Athens
link
Ancient Egypt
Contrasting UK
settlement
Eg. St Albans
Including how people
travelled – more
sustainable, have we
Track the weather in
Cairo. How does
weather affect
lifestyles. Food,
clothing, shelter
Rivers and waterNile
Comparison Nile to
Thames
learned from past?
RE
and promotion of
community cohesion
Science
ICT
Christianity
Olympics – moving and growing
Solids liquids and how they can be separated
Link
Writing for different
Developing images
audiences - linked to
using repeated
literacy
patterns
Journeys and Pilgrimage
Islam
Keeping Warm
Characteristics of materials
Link
Friction
Magnets and Springs
Link
Presenting work to a
Exploring simulations
published standard
Collecting and
presenting information
questionnaires using pie
charts
Easter Show
Modeling effects on a
screen
Music
PSHE/Citiz
Art/DT
PE
Sustainable
Schools
Doorway
SEAL
Talking Potteries
(Textiles)
SEAL
People in action
Athletic poses
Global Dimension
Travel and Traffic
Energy and Water
Inclusion and Participation
Possible links to
Literacy
Greek myths and legends eg. Hercules
Topic
Greece
Art
Journeys
SEAL
DT
Money containers
Travel and Traffic
Energy and Water
Art - Take a seat
Make a new throne
for Anubis
DT
Storybooks – link to
literacy
Energy and Water
Inclusion and Participation
Global Dimension
Food and Drink
Egyptian myths and legends
Information Texts
Invaders and Settlers
Incredible Egyptians
3/4
Cycle 2
Topic
Wow! ideas
Hist
Geog
RE
and promotion of
community cohesion
Science
ICT
Music
Term 1
Term 2
Term 3
WW2 in Islington
Wonders of West
Africa
Tudor Life
Visit WW2 bomb site @ City University, peace
garden, War memorial Islington Green
African Dance and drumming workshopBatafon Arts company.
Look at artefacts
Visit Hampton Court Place
Children in WW2
Learning from History about living sustainably
– Grown your own, mending, repairing
Re-using old clothes
Islington in the War –
Post War
How the area was
development – future
affected
development (change
in land use)
Buddism
Helping plants grow well
Circuits and conductors
Link
E-Mail
Combining text and
graphics
Tudors – Why did
Henry VIII have 6
wives?
Lives of Rich and Poor
in Tudor Times
African Animals
The drought in Africa (water)
Real life in Ghana resource – “Plan”
Fair Trade and production of chocolate
Export of major crops
Stories and Symbols
People of faith – including eg.? Sir Thomas
More
Habitats
Teeth and Eating – carnivores big cats etc.
Link
Intro to databases –
Branching databases –
classifying animals
classifying animals
Rocks and Soils
Light and Shadow
Link
Research event (death or
Bringing work to a
divorce) related to one
presentation standard
Easter Show
of Henry’s wives. Use
digi-blue cameras to
record Tudor News
report.
PSHE/Citiz
Art/Dt
Art Viewpoints
D&T
Can we change places?
(War memorial)
Global citizenship – fair trade choices
Playground games – compare to Ghana games.
Friendship and respecting other people’s
cultures
Art
D&T
Investigating pattern.
Healthy recipes for
Use Adinkra cross
balanced diet
curricular resource
Art
Portraying
relationships Portraits
D&T
Photo frames
PE
Sustainable
Schools
Doorway
Possible links to
Literacy
Local Wellbeing
Inclusion and Participation
Buildings and Grounds
Energy and Water
Purchasing and Waste
Food and Drink
Global Dimension
Inclusion and Participation
Food and Drink
Energy and Water
Report – use ICT to produce non-chronological
report
Inclusion and Participation
Global Dimension
Chaga and the Chocolate Factory (Y4 stories with
issues and dilemmas) link to website
Kirikou and the Sorceress (DVD) – West African
Traditional Tale (Y3 Myths and Legends)
www.afro.com/children/myths
Write to a chocolate company re fair trade
(Persuasive Writing Y4)
West African Kingdoms, Nigeria, Ghana – note
taking, report writing
Topic
WW2 in Islington
Wonders of West
Africa
Tudor Life
DRAFT Key Stage 1
1/2
Term 1
Term 2
Term 3
Cycle 1
Topic
Time to Play
Hist
Time to Play – toys
link
Geog
Time to Play - A closer look at our local
playground (Kings Square or school playground)
– improving the environment
link
Where does our food come from? Food
journeys of fruit and vegetables. Packaging of
fruit and vegetables.
What is the seaside like?
A contrasting UK settlement – a seaside
village
Festival and celebration
Food
Water
Pushes and pulls
Forces and movement
Link
Health and Growth
Growing Plants
Link
RE
and promotion of
community cohesion
Science
ICT
An introduction to
modeling
Music
PSHE/Citiz
Art/Dt
PE
Sustainable
Schools
Understanding
instructions and
making things happen
Christmas show
Fruit and Veg-tastic!
Seaside holidays
Creating pictures
SEAL
D&T
Puppets
Finding information
SEAL
D&T
Winding up
Buildings and Grounds
Inclusion and Participation
Global Dimension
Seaside
Art
Mother nature
designer
Light and dark
Grouping and changing materials
Link
The information
Labeling and
around us
classifying
SEAL
DT
Eat more fruit and
vegetables
Food and Drink
Travel and Traffic
Buildings and Grounds
Art
Sculpture – sculpture
of the seaside using a
range of materials
D&T
Playgrounds
Energy and Water
Global Dimension
Purchasing and Waste
Doorway
Poems on a theme - seaside
Possible links to
Literacy
Topic
Time to Play
Fruit and Veg-tastic!
Seaside
1/2
Cycle 2
Term 1
Term 2
Term 3
Where do we live?
Going bananas about
Jamaica!
Important people
Topic
Hist
Geog
RE
and promotion of
community cohesion
Science
What were home like in the past?
Where do we live? – the features of our local
area and where we are placed in the world
Myself and others
Ourselves
Plants and animals in
the local environment
Famous People and events surrounding themMary Seacole, Lord Nelson plus at least 1 other
eg. Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Faraday,
Florence Nightingale
link
Jamaica – Island
home
link
How do people travel
in Jamaica?
Go Bananas – Oxfam
and fair trade
website link
Caring for our world
Caring for each other
Sort and using materials
Variation
Sound and hearing
Electricity
Link
ICT
Link
Representing
information
graphically- graphs of
different buildings in
our area
Christmas show
Routes
Music
PSHE/Citiz
Art/Dt
PE
Sustainable
Schools
Doorway
Finding information
SEAL
DT homes unit – make
a model
Link
Questions and
answers
SEAL
Art Can buildings
speak?
Global Dimension
Local Wellbeing
Buildings and Grounds
Art Investigating
materials
D&TJosephs coat (adapt
to suit Jamaican
clothing etc)
Global Dimension
Food and Drink
Travel and Traffic
People who help us –
firefighters, nurses,
police officers,
ambulance drivers
Art
Self Portrait
Using a wordbank
SEAL
D&T
Vehicles – moon
buggies (1st man on
moon)
Global Dimension
Inclusion and Participation
Local Wellbeing
Famous writer
Possible links to
Literacy
Topic
Communicating
information using
texts
Where do we live?
Going bananas about
Jamaica!
Important people
Notes on the New Curriculum
This curriculum map is a work in progress. As we have just started to develop a topic based approach to teaching foundation subjects, we hope to adapt this
curriculum map over the course of the two year cycle.
History/Geography: The Topics included aim to cover the Key Skills and Understandings outlined in the National Curriculum. Some units may refer to parts of
QCA, others do not. At the beginning of each unit, teachers should refer to the “highlighted” KSUs on the Geography and History national Curriculum in order to
plan the unit.
Wow: Each unit should begin with a “Wow” – an experience, trip, visit from the public etc to capture the children’s imaginations from the beginning of the unit.
For example, on the first day of the term for year ½ doing Jamaica, they made passports, went to the hall to board their “plane”, tickets were checked etc, they
were given flight safety information by a flight attendant and then they were flown to their classroom which was set up as a “Jamaican Market” with inflatable
palm trees, music, food etc.
Science: As one of our school focuses is Science, Science will be taught discreetly using QCA units. Units have been linked where they fit best wherever
possible. As the curriculum develops Science will be adapted so that it will be more clearly linked to topics where possible.
Art/DT: QCA units have been included for each topic, some clearly link, others do not. Teachers should use their professional judgment to adapt units where
appropriate to directly link with their topic. The QCA units which are included should be used to guide teachers is ensuring that the appropriate skills are taught
with progressions across the years. Whilst units can be adapted, the key skills stay the same.
Literacy: One of the main priorities for developing the new curriculum is to raise attainment in Literacy. It is hoped that through interesting and stimulating
cross curricular lessons, children will have lots of opportunities for speaking and listening, drama, and writing outside of the literacy hour. By ensuring that at
least one literacy unit relates to the topic each term, it is hoped that the quality of children’s writing will greatly improve. Teachers should also think about Big
Writing opportunities linked to their topic when they are “recycling” genres.
Music: teachers should follow Music Express program and adapt to fit the topic where appropriate.
Coverage: At the end of each unit, KSUs will be tracked by subject coordinators to ensure that there are no gaps. There should be one for each of the key
stages. This tracking should continue for 2 years until the end of both cycles.
Review: at the end of each unit a review process will take place. During this stage, more detail can be added, units can be amended or replaced if necessary, and
reference to specific series of lessons can be made (for example a particular Art unit that was used with West Africa topic). By the end of the two year cycle we
hope to have developed this curriculum map to reflect a much more cross-curricular approach to learning with topics that engage and excite both children and
teachers.