For this discussion, I will be mainly focusing on the progression through ‘physical and human geography.’ Beginning at the EYFS stage, children are encouraged to explore their physical surroundings and community with the aim of ‘understanding the world.’ The concept of outdoor learning is strongly enforced as the topic is broad and mostly focuses on visual and verbal development. Opportunities that allow for vocabulary rich, geographical conversation should therefore be utilised. An example of this could be trips to the park, weather spotting or walks around the school. Such activities provide the opportunity to introduce the basics of geographical skills such as ‘locational awareness’ and ‘first-hand observation,’ which are later required as part of the Key Stage One attainment targets, preparing them for curriculum progression. The attached picture is an observational tool used to improve children’s understanding of weather and encourage observation of surroundings. As shown, the learning is simple, visual and observation based, encouraging children to use the outdoors to materialise their learning.   Many theorists such as Dolan (2016 p.49-62) support this notion, stating that ‘outdoor learning provides children with an opportunity to experience the interdisciplinary nature of the real world through interactions with each other and the planet.’ However, although proved as an effective learning method, outdoor learning and discussion alone only covers a minute aspect of what is later expected within the National Curriculum creating a huge jump between the two frameworks.

As progressed to key stage one, the focus is no longer to broadly ‘understand the world’, but to identify patterns, locate using maps and investigate physical and human features of the world. Like the EYFS framework, there is still a lot of emphasis on geographical vocabulary, however there is a clear development in the use of specific terminology and the ability to label and identify. The following grid is part of a medium-term plan that was used in a Year 1 classroom. As conveyed in the learning objectives and through the development of the observational tools, the children must look beyond the forefront of weather (as expected in EYFS) and start to explore the changes in characteristics and ways to describe them. Additionally, many of the activities seen in this MT plan encourage geographical enquiry through teacher questioning which is vital in developing geographical knowledge. This can be supported by many theorists such as Cooper et al. (2013 p. 7) who state that ‘children must want to enquire about their world,’ and that ‘the better children know their world, the better the child will be and the better the world for it.’ 

Within KS2, the framework demands another huge step in learning and content. The vocabulary and basic understanding that was covered in KS1 now acts as an introduction to a deepened, complex geographical understanding, whereby children look at topics including processes, zones, classifications, and purpose. In lower KS2, topics often overlap with content that has been previously visited. For example, the topic of rainforests which is often seen within YR3 links to the characteristics of areas around the equator which is taught in YR1. These links enable teachers to elaborate on PKU and require children to reflect on their previous learning. The topics investigated then feed into the content of upper KS2 where they can use the known characteristics to investigate purpose, such as rainforests and the water cycle. As the locational awareness extends beyond the local area, fieldwork and data collection becomes more challenging. This has been stated OFSTED blogs, written by the subject lead, Iain Freeman (2020). He investigated the quality of geography through schools around the UK and found that fieldwork was weak in KS2, not necessarily through the areas they visited but through the data they collected. This affected their transitions into KS3 as the demand for data usage in coursework dramatically increased. Furtherly, he found that very few primary schools work in line with the secondary schools, meaning that there was ‘limited precision with which primary schools set their curriculum goals and make sure pupils are properly prepared for the next phase of education. (Iain Freeman (2020).’

Overall, there is clear progression demonstrated within the National Curriculum, which is therefore seen in schools. However, there are large gaps in curriculum expectations which can be hard for teachers to cover, especially between EYFS to KS1 and K23 to KS3. The curriculum also, arguably, needs to be revisited as there are current issues such as global warming which are educationally valuable but not covered.

 

 

 

One of the main problems is faced when trying to deliver the curriculum aims effectively is a lack of subject-specific support. The guidance and aims for art cover only 2 pages of a 201 page curriculum, which to teachers who are not competent with the subject can seem daunting. Many teachers hold apprehension towards art, often because they are not confident themselves with the knowledge and skills needed to produce good quality work. This is to be expected as unlike secondary schools, primary school teachers do not teach only one, specialised subject but are expected to deliver up to 13 subjects successfully. However, Barnes (2015 p. 35-42) found that even with a lack of personal skills, there is ‘plenty of good art teaching being done by teachers whose own artistic abilities are slight. Many of them give their children confidence through joining them in learning what art is all about rather than setting themselves apart as experts.’ The National Curriculum, as with all subjects, does still offer routes for progression, which can be seen through the growing emphasis on the expected knowledge of ‘great artists, architects and designers in history. (The National Curriculum 2013 P.176-177).’ Moving from EYFS to KS1 children are anticipated to find similarities and differences in the work of artists, yet by the end of KS2 they are expected to know artists backgrounds, era of work and origin of style. This shift, although required as one of only a few NC aims, creates a clear movement from fully creative based lessons to part academic as children mature. It diverges the focus from developing their own style to covering content. Within my own practice I have noticed that often, where teachers are not confident, art history and the study of artists is used as a crutch, seeing a heavier reliance on producing art that is almost exact of the artist being taught. Barnes (2015 p. 65) echoed this belief, stating that ‘The UK National Curriculum firmly put the study of art and artists in context, but some of this has resulted in mindless copying of masterworks.’ This suggests that the aim has potentially reduced the opportunity for individuality and creativity within the subject. Furtherly, when on placement, I was present for the feedback from book scrutiny. The subject lead for art noted that there was still not enough coverage of art history. To me, it was upsetting that the focus of improving an art curriculum was knowledge based as opposed to creative based, but to follow the NC it was deemed necessary. The school’s curriculum policy did aim to educate about famous artists, but it was arguable that the teachers were just not willing to branch out within the subject and therefore just fixated on this aim. 

On the flipside, there are benefits to a lack of curriculum guidance. It allows for more creativity with content delivery and assessment. Rayment (2007 p.11) argued that art should not be assessed at all as ‘art is unique and therefore indefinable, and to attempt any kind of substantive definition would be to effectively deny options for creative progress or divergence.’ However, although understandable, as teachers it is still important to track the elevation of your students learning. Within my own practice and personal development, I concluded that in art, self-assessment was extremely valuable in helping children to develop their skills. At different points throughout a project, the children would present their work at the front of the classroom (shown in picture provided). There would be a self-assessment checklist displayed, whereby the students could look at their work, and the work of others, and ask questions such as ‘what have I done well? What could I improve or how does my work relate to the artist?’ This provided the opportunity to evaluate and adapt their work to fit the objectives as the project progressed. I found this extremely effective as a form of feed-forward, and it also allowed the children to showcase their work with other class members, sharing ideas and discussing their work. Callaway (2013 p.67) concluded in his findings that ‘displays offer a useful vehicle for children to assess their own finished work, which often looks more accomplished and satisfying when it is appropriately mounted… Displays also offer teachers evidence about children's achievements, their use of particular processes and their ability to work independently on completing a set task.’ This supports my observations and conclusions from my practice. 

Overall, I have seen some good quality teaching in art however the curriculum design currently does not allow for teachers to do the subject justice. It would be nice to see more time and guidance allocated to the teaching of art if the NC were to be revisited as it would benefit both the quality of teaching and the skills of the children.

 

Herne, S., Cox, S. and Watts, R. eds., 2014. Readings in primary art education. Intellect Books.

Hughes, D., 2021. Tackling PSHE and R (S) HE through PE. Teaching Personal, Social, Health and Economic and Relationships,(Sex) and Health Education in Primary Schools: Enhancing the Whole Curriculum, p.93.

Kaltman, G.S., 2010. Hands-on learning. Childhood Education, 87(2), pp.S7-S7.


PSHE Association, 2017. PSHE Education Programme of Study: Key Stages 1-5. https://www. pshe-association. org. uk/curriculum-and-resources/resources/programme-study-pshe-education-key-stages-1% E2, 80, p.935.

Rayment, T. ed., 2007. The problem of assessment in art and design (Vol. 4). Intellect Books.

Teach My Kids. (2022) Maths- Number Bonds to 10. Available at: KS1 Maths, Homework, Number Bonds to 10, KS1 Worksheets, Numeracy | Teach My Kids (Accessed: 10 March 2022).

Third Space Learning. (2022) How Cross-Curricular Learning Can Bring Maths To Life For Primary School Pupils. Available at: How To Use Cross-Curricular Learning To Bring Maths To Life At KS2 (thirdspacelearning.com) (Accessed: 9 March 2022)

Williams, M., 2002. Progression and transition in a coherent geography curriculum. In Teaching and learning geography (pp. 75-84). Routledge.

The attached picture is an example of a cross-curricular learning map which is used to teach the topic of ‘imaginary worlds.’ As shown, one singular theme has ability to cover 7 different subjects with different activities. For example, it shows how the topic can be explored in both Music and Languages. In Languages, the objective could be using French adjectives to describe the characteristics of an imaginary world, but the same topic could be continued into music where they replace the French adjectives with sounds to represent the character of the place. This could help children to make meaningful connections between what they have learnt and how it can be applied to other settings. Beyond this topic, music and language have multiple bridges that can be combined as a cross-curricular teaching approach for effective learning. There are many ways that new vocabulary, particularly within another language can be put to a tune or melody in order to embed content and meaning, therefore using music to enhance the learning of languages. This can be supported by Fonseca and Gant (2016, p. 21) who found that ‘music can both enhance the meaning of words and make them easier to assimilate and memorise,’ as well as encourage better ‘memory, attention and effort.’

Besides Music and Modern Foreign Language, there are multiple other opportunities for cross curricular learning. The curriculum map only explores a select few of many topics that could be incorporated into the theme. Physical Education could closely correlate, especially in KS1, through looking at basic movement (which is required as a NC aim). The related activities could be taught through objectives such as how creatures may move in their ‘imaginary worlds.’ This could then be revisited in science lessons, following the topic of ‘animals including humans,’ where the children could describe the different body parts needed to move like their imaginary creature. Science and Physical Education generally have a lot of crosswires in their learning as both include the exploration of the human body, health and exercise. Additionally, PSHE often closely links to PE as both will highlight the importance of movement, green space and exercise as a component of well- being and mental health. This can be seen in the supporting image. The PSHE association (2017, p. 935) claim that ‘physical education not only helps develop the body physically through physical activity; it also supports cognition, mental health and how a person can be decisive with their life choices.’ They furtherly  state that it consequently helps children to ‘acquire the knowledge and skills they need to manage’ in different aspects of their livelihood. 

Beyond the curriculum map there are endless possibilities of links between subjects involved in the curriculum framework and can even extend beyond educational aims with topics such as maths and English being used in everyday routine. Religious education and History relate closely with links of religion and conflict through history, Science and Geography both explore weather patterns, ICT and English support each other’s development through word exposure and the exploration of information, and the list goes on. A successful teacher will be able to notice these links and adapt the way that they deliver content to make the curriculum fluent and coherent for students. The ‘Third Space Learning (2022)’ is an accessible site for all teachers who are trying to maximise the effects of cross-curricular teaching as an approach. They state that in order for interconnected topics to prove beneficial, teachers have to – make meaningful links, ensure coherence within lessons, record different subject objectives and progress and apply skills. The website emphasises that although cross curricular teaching has multiple benefits, it is essential that teachers do not overcomplicate themes and make sure that any connections made throughout topics are just as clear to children as they are to them. 

Overall, it is apparent that all schools should have some forms of visible cross curricular learning as there are natural cross overs within the curriculum. Teachers should be able to manipulate these cross overs to benefit the learning of their students, whilst being mindful to keep the learning and links clear for children. In doing so, the pupils should begin to feel fluent within their education and the content being taught should become easier to apply within real-life scenarios.

Beginning in the EYFS, the topic of Mathematics ensures that all children should have a sound understanding of numbers, particularly of those up to ten. At this stage teachers are encouraged to use visual manipulatives, hands on materials and other creative sources that enable children to test their theories, contextualise their learning and explore different representations. Kaltman (2019, p. 1 1) states that ‘young children learn through their five senses; therefore, providing hands-on experiences that allow children to touch, see, smell, taste, and hear is important.’ As a result, when composing learning environments, teachers should focus on the resources that they can provide for the children to handle and observe. The solidified knowledge of numbers up to ten helps the children to transition into KS1 where the teachers can introduce the concept of number bonds. Resembling the EYFS, this topic requires a lot of representation and manipulatives in order to embed the skill. When on placement I was able to introduce the topic of number bonds within a Year One classroom. The provided picture conveys an introduction to a ‘part-whole models’ lesson plan. As demonstrated, we began by explaining to children that numbers can be broken into parts which create a whole. To teach and demonstrate this, I made effective use of expositions, visual representation, and hands-on activities. The independent activities allowed for children to explore possibilities and work through trial and error to gain understanding of the different number bonds. Once this knowledge was secured, we began to introduce the concept of symbols for addition and subtraction, explaining the ‘parts’ can be added together to equal the ‘whole’. This works within the objective of ‘Number- addition and subtraction,’ progressing towards the aim of knowing all number bonds within 20, as required at the end of the key stage. 

Schemes such as ‘Teach my Kids (2022), ’ give accessible tips and guidance on how to support children as they learn the method. They claim that the knowledge of number bonds supports the development of fluent mental maths, and that the topic should be revised at home, with parents, as well as in school. The skill itself is highly valuable beyond the means of education as it supports the ability to complete daily tasks such as counting change, items, sharing and distribution.

Additionally, within key stage 1 there is a requirement for basic multiplication and division. Without the solid understanding of numbers and number bonds, the aim cannot be reached. Many educationalists talk about a hidden skill of ‘number sense,’ whereby it suggests that for children to be successful within the topic, they need to be able to ‘make generalisations about the patterns and processes they have met and to link new information to their existing knowledge,’ (Anghileri 2000, p. 13). This emphasises the importance of teachers ensuring that children are confident with their number knowledge before entering Key Stage One as without the solidified learning, the children will not be able to spot patterns, find links and solve further problems. 

 

The skill of addition and subtraction is revisited throughout all the following key stages as it often appears as a step in complex methods. The knowledge of numbers and number bonds stands as a foundation to much more intricate methodology and extends beyond the primary curriculum. As children become more confident with number bonds, addition and subtraction, the number values can be gradually increased until children are able to apply the method to larger numbers and sums. For example, in Year 3 and 4 children are expected to ‘add and subtract numbers mentally’ up to three-digit numbers and hundreds, and by the end of Key stage 2 to ‘solve addition and subtraction multi-step problems in contexts, deciding which operations and methods to use and why,’ (The National Curriculum 2013, p. 115). This shows clear progression throughout the subject as children mature, which cannot be achieved without number sense and the understand of number value.