Our Year 3/4 Curriculum

Within Year 3/4, our curriculum is taught across the year through our three enquiries. The enquiries all have an overarching question which the children work towards answering through an authentic outcome. Our enquiries are developed by driving and enhancing subjects. 

In addition, our enquiries connect to our DEAL curriculum principles and shape the way the enquiries are planned and delivered.

Our Year 3/4 Enquiry Topics 24/25

Autumn Term - What defines a culture?

In EYFS, children will have an understanding of culture when learning about significant people to them, within our community and our world.  In Year 1, children will gain knowledge of architecture through London landmarks and when studying the UK and capital cities.  Children will reactivate their knowledge from Year 2 of events from beyond living history. Some children will also be reactivating their Year 3/4 cycle one knowledge about ancient civilisations.   

Through this enquiry, our children will learn some of the main characteristics of Greek life, explore the significance of events, people and ideas and how the Ancient Greeks have influenced the western world.  

In the summer term, children will learn about the ancient civilisation of the Ancient Sumer and begin to identify how different ancient civilisations may differ from each other.  In year 5/6 cycle 1, the children will learn about significant periods of history that have themes of prejudice, discrimination and inequality; they will form their own opinions on whether we have learnt from our past when comparing with current affairs. In year 5/6 cycle 2, our children will reactivate their knowledge of ancient civilisations as they study Ancient Maya and be able to make comparisons between the periods of time they have studied.   

In Art, as an enhancer, our children will draw and sculpt an Ancient Greek Amphora, using the band around the middle to demonstrate their understanding of Greek culture.  In DT, our children will use their knowledge to design and create a piece of ancient Greek architecture and how ancient methods impacted this.  To support children’s understanding Protected Characteristics (with a particular focus on gender/equality), children will be provided opportunities to debate key areas of the Ancient Greek civilisation.  

What happens after the disaster has passed? 

In EYFS, the children will have learnt about their local community, in town in which they live and compare this to other countries around the world with a particular focus on Brazil and Italy. In year one, our children will have learned the unique qualities of their city, the four countries of the UK and their capital cities.  Through their geographical enquires in EYFS and KS1 children will understand weather patterns and use geographical vocabulary to explain climates and habitats. In Year 2, the children will have explored different types of settlements across the world’s seven continents and the advantages and disadvantages of living in these places.  

Through this enquiry, our children will study other European countries across and compare their physical features with the UK. Our children will also learn what causes an earthquakes and other natural disasters. Through their authentic outcome, our children will develop their understanding of social impact as they learn how people from the UK support others through charities who respond to natural disasters.  

In year 4, our children will reactivate their knowledge of Nottingham’s physical features (River Trent) whilst learning about rivers, which they will be able to compare with rivers around the world (the River Nile and the Amazon River and the city of Manaus in Brazil). In year 5/6 in cycle one, children learn about the rainforests and the impact of their humans and their carbon footprint on our world.  In year 5/6 cycle 2, our children will learn about countries which are less economically developed and contrast these with European developed countries. They will utilise this knowledge to inform their opinions around displacement and how to demonstrate empathy, support and display non discriminative behaviour.   

Children in year 3/4 will reactivate their learning in science from the previous year in relation to forces (Autumn Cycle 2).  Through our personal development programme, children will be able to take part in the civic virtue of fundraising for a given cause.  

Who gave us more – the Ancient Sumer or Ancient Egyptian’s?

In EYFS and KS1, our children will have learned about significant people to them, our community and the world. From Year 2 children will have studied a significant event from beyond living history when learning about the Great Fire of London, analysing its impact on the modern world. In the autumn term, children in year 3/4 will have learnt about the Ancient Greek civilisation and will have knowledge about the significant people, events and ideas that defined its culture. In this current cycle, children have been learning about flooding in the spring term, which links closely to Ancient Sumer and Ancient Egypt agriculture. The children year 4, will have already been exposed to knowledge of the Roman civilisation and Ancient Egyptians and will take on the roles of experts to share their knowledge with the year 3 children.  

Through this enquiry, our children will have the opportunity to build on their existing knowledge of ancient civilisations linking this to their new learning when studying Ancient Sumer. The children will compare key aspects of life and significant themes of slavery, monarchy, agriculture and flooding.  In their authentic outcome, children will apply their knowledge to debate which ancient civilisation has had the biggest impact on our modern world.  

In year 4, children will learn about two historical eras which overlap in time: Ancient Rome and Ancient Egypt. They will continue to learn about the key themes of slavery, monarchy, agriculture and settlements though these ancient civilisations. In year 5/6 cycle 1, the children will learn about significant periods of history that have themes of prejudice, discrimination and inequality; they will form their own opinions on whether we have learnt from our past when comparing with current affairs. In year 5/6 cycle 2, our children will reactivate their knowledge of ancient civilisations as they study Ancient Maya and be able to make comparisons between the periods of time they have studied.   

In art, our children will sculpt a Sumerian Tablet and in DT they will use mechanisms to build simple machines used to transport heavy materials for building tombs or temples. The children will use their knowledge of these two inventions to inform their debate.