Curriculum
At Newlands Federation, our curriculum is carefully designed to ensure that children develop a secure and connected body of knowledge, skills and understanding as they move through the school.
Each subject is mapped progressively from year group to year group using the aims and expectations of the National Curriculum. Learning is thoughtfully sequenced so that new knowledge builds upon what has been taught before, enabling children to make meaningful links across their learning.
Building Knowledge Over Time
Our curriculum is organised around key substantive knowledge themes within each subject. These are the important concepts, facts, ideas and content that we want children to know, understand and remember.
By revisiting these themes regularly, children are able to:
- Strengthen their understanding of previously taught content.
- Make connections between new and existing knowledge.
- Develop increasing depth and sophistication in their thinking.
- Retain important learning in their long-term memory.
- Apply their knowledge confidently in new contexts.
This deliberate approach ensures that learning is not seen as a series of disconnected topics, but as a coherent journey in which knowledge grows and develops over time.
Progression of Skills, Knowledge and Understanding
Within every subject, there is a clear progression of learning across all year groups.
Children are taught:
- Knowledge - the key facts, concepts and information they need to learn.
- Skills - the subject-specific abilities they need to apply and develop.
- Understanding - the ability to explain, connect and use their learning meaningfully.
As pupils move through the school, they revisit important concepts at increasing levels of complexity. This enables them to deepen their understanding, strengthen recall and become increasingly confident and successful learners.
Knowing More and Remembering More
We believe that children learn best when new learning is carefully connected to what they already know. By planning learning cumulatively and revisiting important knowledge over time, we help children transfer learning into their long-term memory.
As a result, children are able to know more, remember more and do more, providing them with the strong foundations they need for future learning and life beyond school.
To find out more about our school's curriculum content and approach, please contact Head of School Hannah Dawe: hdawe@clandon.surrey.sch.uk
