What is the intent of the Learning Challenge Curriculum?

For each subject within the Learning Challenge Curriculum, the learning sequence is set out progressively so that children consistently build on their prior knowledge. For example, the chronology of British history from the beginning of the Stone Age to 1066 and beyond is clear. Similarly, in science, the progression of learning about the human body, plants, animals and materials is easily identified.

Where appropriate, the substantive knowledge and disciplinary knowledge elements the children will learn are set out on a year-by-year basis. The substantive knowledge to be gained is set out as the key knowledge for each unit. The focus on disciplinary knowledge enables children to think, speak and write like historians, geographers, scientists, technologists, artists, etc.

In each subject, the Learning Challenge Curriculum uses the ‘composite and component’ model, which links to the latest research from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). Each unit starts with an overarching question (composite), which is then broken down into components (not more than 5) to make the learning manageable. The curriculum design ensures that these components are sequenced appropriately to maximise the impact on long-term retention.

Children with special needs and those from disadvantaged backgrounds are considered, with opportunities provided for staff to adapt their teaching so that activities are varied while ensuring that coverage remains the same.

For history and geography, the content threads knowledge across different domains. For example, the use of ‘trade and settlements’ as ‘golden threads’ in history and geography enables children to better understand how trade and settlements have impacted our world historically and continue to affect our lives today.

How is the Learning Challenge Curriculum implemented?

The Learning Challenge Curriculum follows a pedagogical process that takes full account of the Rosenshine Principles. The ‘link it, learn it, check it, show it, know it (make it stick)’ system is used throughout. In this way, the curriculum is highly focused on children’s prior knowledge and ensures enough time is built in for children to retrieve information beyond the point of learning.

The pedagogical process also ensures there are opportunities for teachers to check that children are keeping up and, hopefully, not being required to catch up. ‘Check it’ activities in each unit are quick, five to ten-minute activities to help staff determine if there are gaps in children’s learning. The Learning Challenge Curriculum’s website also has subject-specific pupil voice templates to support this principle further.

The focus on ’show it’ has resulted in many schools using memory books, with children recording the main learning from a subject at the end of a unit. For example, many schools have introduced A3-style books for history, geography and science. Children effectively create a mind map of their knowledge using the components as a guide. These books go with them through the school, and with ‘ten-minute’ time slots given to revisit past learning to help them ‘know more’ and, crucially, help them ‘remember more’.

The ‘know it’ stage of the method encourages children to revisit learning after they have finished the unit. The retrieval can be later in the same academic year or later in the key stage. Some schools have dedicated the first ten minutes after the lunch break to retrieval activities across different subjects. However, many other schools have found different times to fit in with their timetable. The Learning Challenge Curriculum’s short-term units include retrieval activities for each new learning element.

The short-term plans, which are very detailed, help teachers with their subject knowledge. Internet links allow teachers to draw from a range of sources when tackling different subjects. The aim is to raise teachers’ confidence and reduce their workload. Subject leaders’ audits help them identify strengths and areas where some staff may need support.

How do we know if the Learning Challenge Approach has the desired impact?

Each history, geography, and science unit has a quiz supporting teacher assessment. These provide opportunities for staff to check children’s substantive and disciplinary knowledge. These quizzes are mostly in multiple-choice format, aimed at reducing teacher workload. The quizzes help teachers identify gaps in children’s learning and see if they have met the expectations for their age.

This is where the progression maps, which are at the heart of the curriculum intent, are used to check to see if children have the knowledge expected for their age. This is for substantive and disciplinary knowledge.

The quizzes work well, but are not the only tool helping determine impact. For example, using the memory books as part of the ‘show it’ supports teacher assessment, as do the retrieval activities.

Embedding pupil research in the units ensures children use their reading skills when looking for key information in different subjects. In addition, there is a significant expectation that mathematics skills are applied in data collection in geography, the use of timelines in history, and specific measurement requirements across the science curriculum.

The Learning Challenge Curriculum ensures that the integrity of each subject supports children’s further learning as they move into Key Stage 3. There is an appropriately heavy focus on disciplinary knowledge, which helps children understand the subjects studied at the next stage of education.