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.
Please note that any content not related to the subject area has been ‘greyed’ out to avoid confusion.
Please find St. Joseph’s humanities curriculum, prior to September 2023.