Thematic Approach & Overview of Units

Learning

Thematic Curriculum Approach
At Woodley CofE we use a Thematic approach for most of the lessons pupils study in school. Thematic Learning is an instructional method of teaching where the children work within a specific theme/topic title each term, but integrate a range of subjects together so that they can link their learning across the subjects and build a greater depth of understanding.
 
Thematic learning is based on the idea that knowledge acquisition is efficient among students when they learn in the context of a coherent and holistic way and when they can associate whatever they learn to their surrounding and real life examples. Thematic instruction seeks to put the cognitive skills such as reading, thinking, memorising, and writing in the context of a real life situation under the broad aim to allow creative exploration.
 
However, we always stay true to the true aims of each subject in the national curriculum, ensuring that for example, when studying Egyptian History that the children are continuing to develop the 'characteristics of effective Historians' by developing the Threshold Concept 'Chronology'.
 
  
Our 2 year cycle of Themes
How the subjects contribute to the Theme