Little Hoole Primary School

In Reception the curriculum is based on an active learning approach that allows children to explore and develop their skills through continuous provision. 

Early Learning Goals:

• Understanding the World - Understand some important processes and changes in the natural world around them, including the seasons.
• Understanding the World - Explain some similarities and differences between life in this country and life in other countries
• Understanding the World - Explore the natural world around them, making observations and drawing pictures of animals and plants.
• Understanding the World - Know some similarities and differences between the natural world around them and contrasting environments. 

Across the course of the year, the topics they will cover are:

What is it like here?

Locating where they live on an aerial photograph and identifying local features. Creating maps using classroom objects and drawing simple maps of the school grounds. Use maps to follow simple routes around the school grounds and carrying out an enquiry about how to improve their playground.

What is the weather like in the UK?

Studying the countries and cities that make up the UK and learning about the seasons and their associated weather. Considering how we change our behaviour in response to different weather and keeping a weather diary or record. Investigating the UK’s hot and cold places using weather maps with a simple key.

What is it like to live in Shanghai?

Identifying continents, oceans and countries outside the UK using a world map (with a focus on China). Identifying physical features of Shanghai using aerial photographs and maps and as well as human features, through exploring land-use then comparing these features to those in the local area. Making a simple map using data they have collected through fieldwork.

Would you prefer to live in a hot or cold place?

An Introduction to the basic concept of climate zones and mapping out hot and cold places globally. Comparing features in the North and South Poles and Kenya as well as in the local area. Learning the four compass points and the names and location of the seven continents.

Why is our world wonderful?

Identifying features and major characteristics of the UK and learning about some of the amazing places in the world. Naming the oceans and locating these on a world map. Exploring what is unique about the natural habitats in their locality and using fieldwork to investigate and present this.

What is it like to live by the coast?

Naming and locating continents and oceans of the world in an atlas and revising the countries, cities and surrounding seas of the UK. Learning about the physical features of the Jurassic Coast and how humans have interacted with this over time, including land use, settlements and tourism.

Why do people live near volcanoes?

Learning how the Earth is constructed and about tectonic plates and their boundaries. Looking at how mountains are formed, explaining the formation and types of volcanoes and the cause of earthquakes. Mapping the global distribution of mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes and giving consideration to the negative and positive effects of living in a volcanic environment and the ways in which humans have responded to earthquakes.

Who lives in Antarctica?

Learning about latitude and longitude and how this links to climate. Contemplating the tilt of the Earth and how this impacts the Antarctic circle and global temperatures. Exploring the physical features of a polar region and how humans have adapted to working there, taking into account that there is no permanent population. Studying Shackleton’s expedition and planning their own expeditions, using mapping skills.

Are all settlements the same?

Exploring different types of settlements and land use, and the difference between urban and rural. Describing the different human and physical features in the local area and how these have changed over time. Making land use comparisons between the local area and New Delhi to find key similarities and differences between these two locations.

Why are rainforests important to us?

Focussing on the link between biomes and climate, locating the Amazon rainforest and explaining how the vegetation in a tropical rainforest is defined by the two Tropics. Investigating the physical features and layers of the Amazon rainforest, considering how plants adapt to these conditions. Learning about the people who live in the rainforest, discussing the impact of human activity locally and globally.

Where does our food come from?

Looking at the distribution of the world’s biomes and mapping food imports from around the world, learning about trading fairly with a specific focus on Côte d'Ivoire and cocoa beans. Exploring where the food for school dinners comes from and the pros and cons of local versus global.

What are rivers and how are they used?

Exploring the different ways water is stored and moves, developing an understanding of the water cycle. Naming and mapping major rivers both in the UK and globally. Learning about the features and courses of a river and how they are used by humans, and studying a local river to identify these features.

What is life like in the Alps?

Discovering the climate of mountain ranges and considering why people choose to visit the Alps, focussing on Innsbruck and identifying the human and physical features that attract tourists. Then applying this learning to investigate tourism in the local area, mapping recreational land use and presenting their findings.

Why do oceans matter?

Exploring the significance of our oceans, learning how humans use and impact them and how this has changed over time. Studying the Great Barrier Reef and how plastic and pollution is damaging this marine environment, and considering positive environmental changes that can be made including making eco-friendly choices. Using fieldwork skills to investigate the amount and type of litter in a marine environment.

Would you like to live in the desert?

Recapping biomes with focus on hot desert biomes and their various characteristics, mapping the largest global deserts. The Mojave Desert is used as a case study to support learning about the physical features of a desert. Exploring how humans use deserts and the environmental threats that can occur in this landscape.

Why does population change?

Looking at global population distribution, thinking about why certain areas are more populated than others. Exploring the factors that influence birth and death rates and using case studies to illustrate these. Exploring the social, economic and environmental push and pull factors that influence migration. Fieldwork is carried out to explore the impact of population on the local environment.

Where does our energy come from?

Learning about time zones around the world while exploring natural resources and energy found in the United States and the United Kingdom. Learning about renewable and non-renewable energy sources and the impacts these have on society, economy and environment. Carrying out a fieldwork investigation, looking into the best location for a solar panel on the school grounds.