What exactly are Knowledge Organisers?
The Knowledge Organiser (KO) is a ring bound book given to each pupil. In the ring bound book pupils have the Knowledge Organiser sheets required for each subject, for the full academic year.
Pupils also have a Strategy Booklet, to go alongside their Knowledge Organiser. These strategies have been designed to assist pupils in retaining knowledge; and by completing them throughout the year pupils will gain a selection of useful revision resources as well as developing an understand into how they learn best.
Why we are using Knowledge Organisers?
The benefits of using Knowledge Organisers are multiple. With regular use, our pupils will:
- Know the most important aspects of the half term unit of work in each subject
- Regularly revise short sections of the knowledge required in each subject, leading to long term retention of knowledge
- Develop revision skills suitable to the knowledge being revised
- Have a bank of revision resources for each subject.
How will the school utilise Knowledge Organisers?
Staff will set short revision homework each week for each subject. This will need to be completed in the knowledge book and ticked in the planner. Pupils may then have a short factual test in class on the work revised. Here is a handy guide on how Knowledge Organisers can be used for revision.
Other homework will be set alongside the revision tasks, for example in mathematics, pupils will use Sparx Maths website as part of their home learning.
Tutors will review the use of Knowledge Organisers.
Expectations
As a school we are enthusiastic about using Knowledge Organisers and feel that they will provide a very valuable resource for pupils. We would similarly hope that, as parents, you can also see the value of Knowledge Organisers as they enable you to be more involved in your child’s learning and revision. Please use the KO to discuss classwork, homework and revision with your child.
We do expect the book to be brought in to school each day, just as the planner is, so that it is available in every lesson and in tutor time.