Our curriculum should optimise the use of opportunities within our local area, as a starting point for learning.

We recognise that many of our children can often have life experiences that are quite limited, and restricted to the immediate vicinity where they live.

To make our topics and learning themes relevant, and to get the most from the amazing area in which we live, we try to explore important local places and events wherever possible. For example: the beauty of the Lake District; the poetry of Wordsworth; our maritime links in the town and beyond, the impact of the Romans in our area; the Victorian heritage of our town.

We live in such a wonderful and unique part of the country, with so much to explore and discover!

From these local starting points and experiences, we strive to expand children’s knowledge and understanding more widely as they grow through school, allowing them opportunities to make links to national and international places, people and events.

As a Coastal area, we try to optimise this unique location as much as we can, to enhance the children's learning. This can be through walks to our most local shore line - our Early Years children spend a day exploring Maryport beach; or on train rides up and down the coast -  our Year 2 children travel down the coast to St Bees. Children across all year groups visit our local Aquarium to study the marine life of our Coast. 

We visit other local coastal harbour towns such as Whitehaven to find out about their geographical features, such as their harbour. We visit their museums to discover other links too - observing the weather from The Beacon.

As children move through school, they then begin to compare and contrast these local resorts (our seaside town and The Lake District) with holidays in places further afield, studying The Alps and Greece as popular holiday destinations.

Likewise, in History, our younger children begin by finding out about their own town through history walks.

An example of this is Key Stage One children visiting the local harbour, houses and Maritime Museum, discovering first-hand the town’s maritime history. Moving through school, when considering how the town has changed over time in greater depth, the children carry out field trips and visits to look for signs of the past in the buildings and architecture around us.  

When learning about the Romans, children in Year 4 visit the town's Senhouse Roman Museum to find out about the impact these people had on our own town and local area many years ago, as well as branching out to discover their impact nationally and globally. 

Our Residential Visits, which begin in Year 4, also start off locally, with a visit to Castlerigg and its amazing Stone Circle, as well as the opportunity to visit the town of Keswick, which offers a vivid contrast to our own local town of Maryport. As children grow through school, our residential visits also expand outwards, to include adventure holidays and city breaks! 

Take a look at some of our memorable learning moments, which make the most of our local environment...