Opening Worlds Humanities Curriculum
What is Opening Worlds?
Opening Worlds is a knowledge-rich humanities programme for teaching history, geography and religion in Years 3 to 6. As a school, we are provided with curriculum resources together with training, support and ongoing programme-related professional development for our teachers.
The uniqueness and background of every child is recognised and valued. Because of this, our curriculum covers a range of cultural, historical and ethical backgrounds and offers purposeful and meaningful experiences to apply, share and develop this knowledge.
Our diverse, culturally rich and wide-scoping curriculum is underpinned by the teaching of basic skills, knowledge, concepts and values in a rigorous and coherent way. Explicit links to story-telling and creativity are made to enthuse learners. Many enhancement and enrichment activities are used throughout the curriculum to engage children and create purposeful, high-leverage outcomes that give children the opportunity to use and apply their developing knowledge and skills.
Our aim is to create an environment that prompts curiosity, critical thinking and allows learners to connect strands of learning across all aspects of the curriculum.
What does this look like at Glen Park Primary?
The programme meets and substantially exceeds the demand of the National Curriculum for history and geography and is compatible with our locally agreed syllabus in RE. The programme is characterised by strong vertical sequencing within subjects (so that pupils gain security in a rich, broad vocabulary through systematic introduction, sustained practice and deliberate revisiting) and intricate horizontal and diagonal connections, thus creating a curriculum whose effects are far greater than the sum of its parts.
As the programme builds on prior learning, Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 will start with the Y3 Curriculum in the 2024-25 Academic year. Teachers will adapt the delivery of content in the older year groups to ensure that lessons are age appropriate and meet the needs of our older pupils.
The children in Years 1 & 2 will continue to follow our existing Glen Park History, Geography and Religious Education curriculums which we are currently reviewing and adapting to ensure that they provide a secure foundation and acquisition of knowledge in key areas for our children before they move onto the Opening Worlds curriculum.
Further details about our Key Stage 1 curriculums can be found on the History, Geography and RE pages.
The curriculum rationale document provides an overview of the scope, rigour, coherence and sequencing of the Opening Worlds humanities curriculum.
Opening Worlds Curriculum Rationale
To access a detailed overview of the full curriculum plan across Key Stage 2, please click on the link below. The chart shows the substantive and disciplinary content of the Opening Worlds curriculum.
