The following examples, from two Gloucestershire schools, show different approaches to putting values at the heart of the curriculum. In the first the value for the term is linked to all areas of the curriculum. The second example shows how a single topic can be linked to several school values.
Julia Matson, a teacher at Barnwood Church of England Primary School, explains “Our aim is to ensure Christian Values are truly at the heart of our school planning. Initially we discuss the value and share ideas at staff meetings then look at each area of the curriculum, making links and adapting planning as appropriate. We build a picture of how the value looks across the curriculum, making it explicit and ensuring it is lived out throughout our school.”
The downloadable example shows the cross-curricular planning for Term 1 when the value in focus was ‘friendship’.
Joyce Evans looked at values education taught in the context of topic based learning. Often syllabus areas link to a number of values and opportunities for learning in each subject are pulled together in a cross-curricular map.
The first map addresses teaching at Key Stage 2 about World War II. The downloadable spider diagram shows the opportunities for learning in all subjects.
