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Humanities

Opening Worlds is a knowledge-rich humanities programme for teaching history, geography and religion in Years 3 to 6. It provides curriculum resources together with training, support and ongoing programme-related professional development for primary school teachers. Because of its rapidly discernible effects on literacy and highly inclusive approach, Opening Worlds quickly gained appeal in schools tackling under-achievement in areas of social disadvantage.

The Opening Worlds programme was first launched in 2019 by Christine Counsell and Steve Mastin, in association with Haringey Education Partnership (HEP). Over 60 primary schools took it up in Haringey and subsequently in neighbouring Enfield. In this way, over 160 primary schools beyond Haringey and Enfield have now adopted the programme through Opening Worlds communities established in Birmingham, Brent, Cambridgeshire, Lancashire, Liverpool, Peterborough and Surrey, together with some MAT communities serving multiple locations.

The programme meets and substantially exceeds the demand of the National Curriculum for history and geography. The programme is characterised by strong vertical sequencing within subjects (so that pupils gain security in a rich, broad vocabulary through systematic introduction, sustained practice and deliberate revisiting) and by intricate horizontal and diagonal connections, thus creating a curriculum whose effects are far greater than the sum of their parts.

The vast majority of Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust schools use the Opening Worlds curriculum.

Please find below our curriculum offers for both history and geography.

History

We are currently in a transition period with our History Curriculum.  From September 2023, we will be implementing ‘Opening Worlds’ – a knowledge-rich humanities programme for teaching History and Geography in Years 3 to 6.

Click the link to access our curriculum: 

The transitional ‘build up’ plan is as follows:

  • 2023 to 2024 – Y3, Y4 and Year 5 will be learning the Y3 Opening Worlds Curriculum.
  • 2024 to 2025 – Y3 will continue on their corresponding year group curriculum.  Y4, Y5 and Y6 will be learning the Y4 Opening Worlds Curriculum.
  • 2025 to 2026 – Y3, Y4 and Y5 will continue on their corresponding year group curriculum. Y6 will be learning the Y5 Opening Worlds Curriculum
  • 2026 to 2027 – All KS2 year groups will be working on the corresponding year group Opening Worlds Curriculum.

History:

Geography:

Please find a combined humanities subject overview:

Please find St. Joseph’s humanities curriculum, prior to September 2023Please find an overview of historical disciplinesPlease find an overview of geographical disciplines
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Updated | 5th February, 2025 |

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