We have begun to implement a new scheme of learning into our science, history and geography curriculum. Our choice of changing schemes was based upon the cohesion between these three subjects and how the learning would become deeper due to the connections the children were making over topics. We value evidence-based approaches to provide children with the best possible education and the CUSP curriculum is routed from robust evidence to support this.

A guiding principle of CUSP Science is that each study draws upon prior learning. For example, in the EYFS, pupils may learn about The Natural World through daily activities and exploring their locality and immediate environment. This is revisited and positioned so that new and potentially abstract content in Year 1, such as animals, including humans, is related to what children already know. This makes it easier to cognitively process and therefore helps to accelerate new learning as children integrate prior understanding.

CUSP Science is organised into three distinct subject domains: biology, physics and chemistry. Where interdisciplinary concepts are encountered, such as the particle model, these are taught explicitly and connected across science domains. CUSP Science has sequenced the national curriculum into meaningful and connected ‘chunks’ of content to reduce the load on the working memory as well as creating coherent and strong long-term memories. Our LEARN-AT Trust big ideas are also embedded across these three domains within the CUSP Science curriculum.

The sequence of substantive and disciplinary knowledge enables pupils to become ‘more expert’ with each study and grow an ever broadening and coherent mental model of the subject. This guards against superficial, disconnected and fragmented scientific knowledge and weak disciplinary knowledge. High frequency, multiple meaning words (Tier 2) are taught explicitly and help make sense of subject-specific words (Tier 3). Each learning module in CUSP Science has a vocabulary module with teacher guidance, tasks and resources to enhance and deepen understanding.

CUSP Science is planned so that the retention of knowledge is much more than just ‘in the moment knowledge’. The cumulative nature of the curriculum is made memorable by the implementation of Bjork’s desirable difficulties, including retrieval and spaced retrieval practice, word building and deliberate practice tasks. This powerful interrelationship between structure and research-led practice is designed to increase substantive knowledge and accelerate learning within and between study modules. That means the foundational knowledge of the curriculum is positioned to ease the load on the working memory: new content is connected to prior learning. The effect of this cumulative model supports opportunities for children to associate and connect significant scientific concepts, over time, and with increasing expertise and knowledge.

CUSP Science deliberately pays attention and values the importance of subject content as well as the context it is taught in. Common scientific misconceptions are identified in all CUSP Science learning modules. These misconceptions are made explicit to pupils. Children draw upon substantive and disciplinary knowledge to reason and practise acquiring the conception, whilst repelling the misconceptions. Examples and non-examples are powerful ways of saying what something is and what something isn’t.

CUSP Science values the study of scientists from the past as well as promoting diverse present-day role models in the field. These studies help us to learn how they used, at that time, their substantive and disciplinary knowledge to develop a conception. This illuminates how misconceptions can permeate substantive knowledge and appear to be a known truth. Working scientifically skills are embedded throughout each science topic and develop cumulatively across each year group.

Knowledge organisers and knowledge notes are used in lessons as a tool for the children to refer to. This enables them to apply their knowledge and key vocabulary within tasks which stretch their thinking and challenge any misconceptions. We aim to provide children with memorable experiences which they can relate to, which will subsequently support them in gaining a deeper understanding and application to their everyday lives.

Quizzes are used at the end of each lesson to assess what the children have learnt and understood from that lesson rather than to test their memory. This provides teachers with a more accurate assessment of the children’s understanding of key knowledge and vocabulary.

CUSP fulfils and goes well beyond the expectations of the National Curriculum as we believe there is no ceiling to what pupils can learn if the architecture and practice is founded on evidence-led principles.