Opening Worlds is a knowledge-rich humanities programme for teaching history, geography and religion in Years 3 to 6. We provide curriculum resources together with training, support and ongoing programme-related professional development for primary school teachers. Because of its rapidly discernible effects on literacy and its highly inclusive approach, Opening Worlds quickly gained appeal in schools tackling under-achievement in areas of considerable social disadvantage.
The Opening Worlds programme was first launched in 2019 by Christine Counsell and Steve Mastin, in association with Haringey Education Partnership (HEP) where over 60 primary schools took it up. More recently, a further 60 primary schools have now adopted the programme in Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Liverpool. In partnership with HEP, Opening Worlds now works with formal networks of ten or more primary schools (e.g. LA partnerships, MATs and other school groups with established community leadership).
The programme meets and substantially exceeds the demand of the National Curriculum for history and geography. It is compatible with most SACRE locally agreed syllabi in RE. The programme is characterised by strong vertical sequencing within subjects (so that pupils gain security in a rich, broad vocabulary through systematic introduction, sustained practice and deliberate revisiting) and intricate horizontal and diagonal connections, thus creating a curriculum whose effects are far greater than the sum of its parts.
Pupils can access the rich, extended text in the booklets because all new vocabulary is pre-taught and practised through a blend of direct instruction, engaging story-telling and other activities.
Opening Worlds only offers the above as a complete package. The one exception to this is where some faith schools choose to teach the history and geography strands only, retaining their own RE programme. The history and geography strands will work satisfactorily without the RE strand. That said, even some faith schools in Haringey have chosen to adopt the RE strand because of its unusual thoroughness in teaching each religion’s stories and texts, and its careful sensitivity to each religious context.
Opening Worlds does not sell individual resources separately. The resources are offered to communities of schools who wish to take up the full package, including the required training and ongoing support.
Opening Worlds is offered on an annual subscription basis, as follows:
£1000 per 1FE
£1500 per 2FE
£2000 per 3FE
This includes access to all resources on the website and all training.
In addition, hard copies of the booklets may be purchased at £3.00 per booklet plus £10 delivery. We estimate that the booklets, with their durable covers, will stay in good condition for five years. The booklets function as textbooks: pupils do not write in them, allowing for multi-year re-use.