At St. Mary’s School, we teach using the Creative Curriculum. This approach uses a single topic to deliver all aspects of the curriculum. By linking all of the academic subjects, learning becomes motivating, purposeful and real.
Creative Curriculum
Our teachers plan engaging, innovative units of work based on a topic. The delivery of the curriculum begins with a “stunning starter,” moving to a “marvellous middle” and ending with a “fabulous finish.” This ensures that children remain motivated and excited by their learning journey.
An example of the Creative Curriculum would be the wide-ranging topic of ‘Water.’ To begin, the children are given plane tickets to Australia. Using our VR headsets, they would immerse themselves by swimming in the Great Barrier Reef using our VR headsets. They would then use a text to stimulate their creative writing. For instance, in Year 1, this could be ‘The Rainbow Fish,’ to inspire the children to write their own descriptions of how fish move in different bodies of water. The children may use the interactive floor to explore how fish move before looking at changing states of matter in Science.
After a visit to the Antarctic, they would start to learn about the historical journeys undertaken by explorers in the region. Using computer-aided design, they create their own Antarctic habitat, brought to life through our 3D printer. Building on this, pupils could be asked to utilise their technology skills by using our green screen in the Global Learning Centre to produce an explorer news report. This report would incorporate QR codes to add further written information about the expedition.
Our ethos of placing creativity at the centre of our curriculum ensures our children remain at the forefront of education. They make connections in their learning, take risks and think deeply about real-world problems.
This engaging approach means that the learning doesn’t end when the lessons end. Pupils take these interconnected skills and passions forward into their senior schools and beyond into an ever-changing workplace. An emphasis on skills development allows them to feel confident and prepared to face any challenge that comes their way.
