50 Things That Your Child Will Experience

A good education is the springboard for lifelong learning and an understanding and appreciation of others. It also facilitates the development of skills and knowledge that allows young adults to cope with whatever life throws at them. We recognise that learning is not just confined to the classroom; learning can occur anywhere! What is important for learning to occur is the resources, experiences and people that make it happen. Remember not everything we learn can be recorded in copy books or expressed as a grade.

In all of our primary schools we interleave the development of a child’s cultural capital at the heart of our bespoke thematic curriculum. Cultural capital can be defined as the accumulation of essential knowledge needed to be educated citizens to engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement. It is through this understanding that we have developed a non-negotiable list of experiences to empower pupils’ learning and deepen their knowledge of both curriculum and non-curriculum content. In short, the development of additional experiences for our pupils will strengthen the fabric of their learning and allow them to navigate through school with a deepened sense of security and happiness.

Each primary school in our Trust has carefully selected the experiences that will be contextually important to the children in their care. These chosen experiences and activities have been incorporated into our curriculum to enrich learning and enhance the children’s understanding of the world that we live in. Below is a small selection of activities that pupils across all of our schools will encounter.

EYFS

  • Experience a visit from the emergency services
  • Make a snowman
  • Grow, cook and eat your own food
  • Go on a treasure hunt
  • Experience cloud watching
  • Build a den
  • Make an art print using natural materials
  • Perform in a choir
  • Learn some sign language
  • Write and post a letter
  • Have a class pet
  • Watch an animal’s life cycle

KS1

  • Keep a weather diary
  • Identify common British birds
  • Learn to skip
  • Become a circus performer
  • Take part in a team sport
  • Dress up and become a time traveller
  • Make a film
  • Taste foods from different cultures
  • Follow a dance routine
  • Have a visitor from a different faith
  • Visit the seaside
  • Engage with the older generation
  • Visit a place of worship

LOWER KS2

  • Read maps and use a compass
  • Cook on a camp fire
  • Be able to name common British trees
  • Visit a historical location
  • Learn to play a musical instrument
  • Swim with your friends
  • Learn basic First Aid
  • Watch the sunrise or sunset
  • Watch a live sporting event
  • Learn a foreign language
  • Visit a library
  • Watch a live performance

UPPER KS2

  • Help a wild animal
  • Travel on a bus or train
  • Race pooh sticks
  • Have a pen pal
  • Go camping
  • Have a visit from a professional sports person
  • Make and sell a product
  • Create your own CV
  • Learn to become more mindful
  • Raise money for a charity
  • Watch an artist at work
  • See a person in their place of work
  • Perform on a stage

Young people need to be able to experience learning in multiple contexts, locations and formats – this is how resilience and creativity are nurtured.