KNOWLEDGE ORGANISERS
'Knowledge is power. Information is liberating.' Kofi Anan
An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.' Benjamin Franklin
Improving the general knowledge of our children at Morley Victoria is a key priority. Having a good general knowledge is an essential life skill and adds to the qualities of our children who are all unique. We widen the childrens’ general knowledge in many ways, some are listed below:
- Teaching a broad and balanced national curriculum – See the booklet named ‘A Curriculum that Matters’ and year group long term plans
- Giving the children experiences that are beyond the curriculum – See the booklet ‘Beyond the Curriculum’
- A comprehensive and detailed PSHE curriculum
- Providing a range of experiences throughout their time with us – See our Morley Victoria Passport
- Current affairs and news are discussed weekly in the classroom
- A detailed assembly programme planned to discuss and talk about key dates, inspirational people etc
- Reading comprehensions are planned to build general knowledge
- Reading of 'The Week' magazine
- Quality texts in classrooms, libraries and around school
- Homework tasks
- Visits and visitors
- Residential visits
- Each year group studies different countries each term
To develop our children's general knowledge we have devised knowledge organisers for topics that are driven by science, history and geography. These are designed to make it clear to the children what they will be learning over the course of a topic and what we expect them to know and remember by the end of the unit of work. Within the knowledge organisers we have also made it clear to the children the skills they are developing so that this is explicit. These documents will also be sent home with the children so that the parents and carers can support their children at home e.g. History, Science, Geography. At the end of a topic the knowledge organises and the lessons are used to produce a knowledge quiz. This involves the children using their knowledge and skills to apply them to a problem/set of questions. The teachers then use the responses from the quiz to inform future teaching and learning. Please see some examples below.
"I really like the knowledge organisers because it gives me heads up on what I am going to learn" MV Pupil
"I like the knowledge organisers because we know what we are going to learn about." MV Pupil
"I use these at home with my family." MV Pupil
