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Core Knowledge UK at a Glance

Origins and development

Grounded in cognitive science and research on effective school systems worldwide, Core Knowledge promotes academic excellence, greater fairness and higher literacy through teaching a body of specific, lasting knowledge in such a way that allows children, regardless of background, to build steadily on what they already know. Core Knowledge promotes content knowledge in partnership with teaching skills as a way of achieving 'cultural literacy'. 'Cultural literacy' is the shared, background knowledge that enables us to read a text with adequate comprehension so that we get the point, grasp the implications and relate what is said to its unstated context. Read on.

Core Knowledge UK

Core Knowledge first emerged in the US. The Core Knowledge Foundation is an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan organisation dedicated to equipping stakeholders with the materials necessary to implement a knowledge-rich curriculum in schools and at home. Civitas, a British nonprofit and independent educational charity, is now pioneering Core Knowledge in the UK because it is proven to meet every measure of success: student achievement, teacher satisfaction and parent involvement. Civitas is adapting the American Core Knowledge Sequence and supporting resources for use in UK primary schools. A broad range of teachers, trainers and subject specialists are reviewing the US curriculum to adapt it to the UK context and National Curriculum. This consultation is two-fold: their independent and professional contributions are informing the content and structure of our adaptation. Read on.

The Core Knowledge Sequence UK

The Core Knowledge Sequence UK, distinguished by its specificity, seeks to resolve educational inequalities—many of which arise from a failure to understand the things that others take for granted. The Sequence UK forms a year-by-year outline of the specific and shared content and skills to be taught in the arts, humanities and sciences in Years 1 to 6. This springboard for learning provides equal access to the common knowledge that facilitates communication between people, while recognising their different traditions and contributions, essential for effective citizenship and involvement in democratic life. The Sequence UK informs the content and direction of the Core Knowledge curriculum across year groups. The curriculum builds year after year and is non-prescriptive in delivery, allowing teachers and parents to implement the programme as they see fit in their own school or home. Read on.

Core Knowledge UK Resources

Core Knowledge UK resources help parents, teachers, and home educators provide children with a better education. A series of resource books embellish the content of the Core Knowledge Sequence UK and provide friendly introductions to the essentials in the arts, humanities and sciences. Resource books provide many free and low-cost educational activities for children to read stories and poems, understand significant historical events, experience widely acknowledged masterpieces of artwork and music, and take part in engaging maths and sciences activities in the home, classroom and the local community. These resource books offer parents, teachers and home educators the means to inform and supplement learning at home and in school. Core Knowledge UK is developing a book for every school year. Learn more about the first two resource books in this series, What Your Year 1 Child Needs to Know and What Your Year 2 Child Needs to Know, or purchase them here. We are also producing freely available online Teacher Handbooks for every year group to embellish content of the Sequence UK and provide essential background information for teachers and home educators, topic-specific vocabulary for pupils, opportunities to integrate Core Knowledge content in other subjects, and suggestions for age-appropriate activities and assessment. Read on to learn about the resources available to parents, teachers, and home educators.