What is the Sticky Curriculum at Kestrel Mead?

The curriculum at Kestrel Mead is underpinned by interleaved learning and the development of concepts across the curriculum and over time. It is personalised to our context and promotes awe, wonder and reciprocity. All classes are exposed to five big questions per year, within which, the National Curriculum objectives are carefully mapped out, ensuring that high quality knowledge is imparted. Within each big questions are a bank of five little questions linked to sticky (moral and technical vocabulary) that are repeated throughout the years. The conceptual words are based around five categories; British values, Citizenship, UN global goals, Character and Critical thinking. Children are encouraged to be independent and creative in the way that they engage in their learning through a journal they create online and in a scrap book.  Personalised homework is linked to each or our character behaviour drivers. High expectations and ambitious learning are evident throughout. There is no ceiling placed on any child; all children are supported to achieve through instructional learning, practical application activities and enrichment. We encourage staff and pupils to take risks, embracing and learning from mistakes.

We teach fewer things in greater depth by carefully allocating National Curriculum objectives with clear progression of skills and knowledge. We aim for the curriculum to develop future global citizens that are passionate and ready for the next stage of their education and beyond.

What will my child learn in the sticky curriculum?

Each big question is supported by five little questions, enabling the key knowledge and skills from the National Curriculum to be taught. By the end of the topic, children are able to analyse and answer the big question, understanding  their learning applies to life today.

At the beginning of each topic, children and parents will be given a knowledge organiser. This shows the big question, little questions and the sticky words for the topic. It also shows which history or geography objectives and which art and/or design objectives will be taught throughout the topic.

Each topic will begin with a small pre-learning task to assess the children’s prior knowledge about the big question they will be answering. This allows us to tailor the lessons to the needs of the children. At the end of each topic, children will answer the big question in a variety of ways throughout the year. These include: a debate; a campaign, practical activities, verbal performances and also written outcomes.

Children conclude their topic with a journaling week. This allows children to creatively display their key learning and answer the big question.

Homework is given out at the start of each topic and links directly to the big question that is being studied. Across the 6-week topic, children will complete a resilience activity, a curiosity activity, a compassion activity and a respect activity.

Here is an overview of the big questions across the school. Biq Questions Overview

Awe, Wonder and Reciprocity

Across the year, children will have the opportunity to experience immersive learning lessons, a range of trips and visitors into school to enhance their learning. We want to encourage the children to develop both their love of learning as well as their sense of curiosity. To help us to do that, we have invested in a subscription to Creative Learning Services, which means that we will have a selection of artefacts and books from time periods and countries, to help aid the children’s understanding.

Each year group will also have a charity that they will either raise money for or work with in the community. This will be linked to their learning and will allow the children to also give back to the people in both our community and communities across the world. For example, Year 2 work with sheltered accommodation in the local area by delivering harvest parcels to the residents there and year 4 support Water Aid, raise money and awareness, as part of their question ‘What’s happening to the world’s waters?’

As a school we believe in providing different opportunities during Friday Flair in order to foster and develop the many talents of our children to continue to develop the ‘whole child’.

Autumn term focuses on improving confidence and voice including: comedy club, singing club, dance club, poetry club, drama club, music club and magic club, which leads to our Friday Flair Showcase.

The spring term will focus on creativity, where children will be able to design and produce a piece of work over the course of the term. Teams will include: sewing, paper craft, painting, drawing, cookery, knitting, crochet and animations. This will conclude in a Flair Fair, where children will be able to share their learning and creations through an exhibition.

Summer term will be a ‘Get Active’ term, which will include a variety of sports such as rounders, yoga and football and we will celebrate the children’s successes with an amazing sports day at the end of the year