Foundational Knowledge and Skills

Building Blocks for Success: Our Approach to Foundational Knowledge

At Woodlands Primary School, we believe that every great idea starts with a strong foundation. You might hear the term ‘foundational knowledge’ mentioned in our curriculum documents or by Ofsted - but what does it actually mean for your child?

Simply put, foundational knowledge is the essential ‘sticky’ information that children need to lock in before they can understand more complex concepts. Just as you need to know the sounds of letters before you can read a novel, or your times tables before you can solve algebra, children need specific core facts to make progress.

How we do it:

• Recall & Retrieval: Most lessons begin with quick quizzes to keep key facts fresh.

• Sequencing: Our curriculum is carefully planned so that what children learn today builds directly on what they learned before.

• Mastery: We ensure children are confident with the basics so they can apply them creatively to bigger problems.

Intervention

Children who need additional support in securing the foundational knowledge and skills needed to complete tasks, are quickly identified and intervention is provided, to ensure additional teaching and practice is provided.