At Portland Spencer Academy we provide high quality teaching and learning for all pupils, every day, so that no-one gets left behind.
Our Connected Curriculum is designed around our ASPIRE VALUES:
Achieve greatness through independent learning
Succeed together
Possibilities are endless
Improve through reflection and learning from mistakes
Responsible for our choices
Everyone is important
At Portland, we ASPIRE in everything we do.
Our Connected Curriculum allows children to see the links between subjects and their previous learning ensuring learning make sense!
It is…
- Designed for and by all our children
- Underpinned by research around how children learn best (click here to find out more)
- A passport to the world through a love of books
- Enhanced by real life experiences and inspirational people to create lifelong memories
- A vehicle to promote curiosity whilst having lots of fun!
Our curriculum is broad and balanced, with every subject meeting or going beyond the National Curriculum requirements.
Subjects are taught to a high standard – click below for individual subject intents.
- Reading
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Science
- History
- Geography
- Religious Education
- PSHE & Life Skills
- Computing
- Modern Foreign Languages
- Art
- Design Technology
- Physical Education
- Music
Our curriculum is progressive with clear links between subject areas in half termly themes. We use knowledge organisers to support children and parents to grasp the key conceptual knowledge, skills and vocabulary needed for each half term. Our subject curriculum scrolls enable us to continually build upon previous learning and through the use of regular retrieval practice, we ensure children know more, remember more and can do more.
This layered, systematic approach enables a progressive and diverse curriculum which allows our children to holistically develop their knowledge, skills, vocabulary and understanding of their local area, as well as the wider world across the broad range of subjects. Our fully inclusive approach allows us to adapt to the learners’ individual needs and promote high expectations, challenge leading to excellent outcomes.
Please click here for more information and to see our Portland library.
Overview of Themes from Nursery to Year 6 with main subject drivers indicated
|
Year |
Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
| F1 | Who lives in our family?
PSED/P&C |
What changes can we see?
UTW |
What is the weather like around the world?
UTW |
What is life like around the world?
UTW/P&C |
How are animals different?
UTW |
What can we grow?
UTW/P&C |
| F2 | Who lives in our community?
PSED/ P&C |
What is our local area like?
UTW |
How is our world different?
UTW |
Where in the world do our families comes from?
PSED/P&C |
What changes can we see around us?
P&P/UTW |
How are we changing?
PSED/UTW |
| Y1 | What is in the wonderful city of Nottingham?
Geography/History |
How is my childhood different from the olden days?
History
|
What is the best of British?
Geography/DT
|
What are the strongest bridges in Nottingham?
DT/ History |
How do plants and flowers grow?
Science |
Where in the world is it the hottest?
Geography |
| Y2 | Where did the fire start?
History / Geography |
Why do different people celebrate different things?
RE / Music / DT |
What do plants and animals need to survive?
Science / Geography |
Was the Titanic prepared for the voyage?
History / Geography / |
Who can we learn important lessons from?
History / Geography / Science / |
What does the African culture look like?
Geography / Art |
| Y3 | How did our Human History all begin?
History/DT |
What is the view like from the top of the world?
Geography |
Why is the Nile at the center of Egyptian life?
History/Geography |
What did the Ancient Egyptians leave behind?
History/ Art |
How do we look after our local wildlife?
PSHE/Geography/Science |
What is life like around the Mediterranean?
Geography |
| Y4 | Who were the Ancient Greeks?
History |
What are natural disasters?
Science/ Geography |
Who were the Romans?
History/Geography |
What was Roman Britain like?
History/ Arts |
Where does food go?
Science/Geography |
What gives us power?
Science/PSHE |
| Y5 | Who occupied Britain after the Romans?
History |
Are the Vikings that vicious?
History |
How unique is our planet?
Geography/ Science/History |
What is out there, beyond Earth?
Science /DT |
What is life all about?
Science/PSHE/RE |
How has power changed throughout history?
History/RE |
| Y6 | What makes me human?
Science |
Why were the Victorians Victorious?
History |
Where did the war begin?
History |
How did the British prevail?
History |
How does life survive?
Geography / Science |
How can we become a citizen of the world? Science |
Knowledge Organisers
2021-22
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
| Nursery | Nursery | Nursery | |||
| Reception | Reception | Reception | |||
| Year 1 | Year 1 | Year 1 | |||
| Year 2 | Year 2 | Year 2 | |||
| Year 3 | Year 3 | Year 3 | |||
| Year 4 | Year 4 | Year 4 | |||
| Year 5 | Year 5 | Year 5 | |||
| Year 6 | Year 6 | Year 6 |
2020-21
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
| Nursery | Nursery | Nursery | Nursery | Nursery | Nursery |
| Reception | Reception | Reception | Reception | Reception | Reception |
| Year 1 | Year 1 | Year 1 | Year 1 | Year 1 | Year 1 |
| Year 2 | Year 2 | Year 2 | Year 2 | Year 2 | Year 2 |
| Year 3 | Year 3 | Year 3 | Year 3 | Year 3 | Year 3 |
| Year 4 | Year 4 | Year 4 | Year 4 | Year 4 | Year 4 |
| Year 5 | Year 5 | Year 5 | Year 5 | Year 5 | Year 5 |
| Year 6 | Year 6 | Year 6 | Year 6 | Year 6 | Year 6 |