At Suffolks, we took the decision to block the foundation subjects as we believe this approach ensures subject integrity and safeguarded time in our curriculum for all areas of the curriculum.  By blocking our subjects, children are given the chance to wallow in their learning and make deep connections within the subject and across subjects.  We have a ‘use it or lose it approach’ which means children will revisit their learning later in the year as a way of ensuring consolidation and retention.

Our 'use it or lose it' approach is embedded in the following ways: 

- Termly class assemblies which focus on the previous term's learning

- A 'use it or lose it' board in each class.  Children add the most important knowledge and key concepts to the boards so that they can be referred to at a later point.

- Corridor displays are planned out to ensure that children are constantly seeing and reviewing previous learning. 

Our approach to 'use it or lose it' is fully embedded into our long and medium term planning.  Long term plans sequence the substantive and disciplinary knowledge from EYFS to KS2 and ensures that children are building upon their knowledge year-on-year.  Medium term plans outline what the children have already learned which in turn supports teachers to activate the children's prior learning.  Tier 2 vocabulary (Goldilocks words) is taught explicitly which in turn acts a hook for children to attach new learning to.