Knowledge Organisers

What is a Knowledge Organiser?

A knowledge organiser is a document, usually one side of A4, occasionally two, that contains key facts and information that children need to have a basic knowledge and understanding of a topic. Knowledge organisers will capture the key information and vocabulary for a topic. 

What are the benefits of Knowledge Organisers?

Our knowledge organisers are presented in a clear and simple format making them accessible for both children and adults. They set out what children can expect to learn in a topic and what they should know by the end. They list key facts and information or ‘sticky knowledge’ (the bits we want to stick in their memory) that children will learn throughout the topic. They also list key facts and information, that children should already know from previous learning. The presentation and amount of content of our knowledge organisers develop throughout the years as children get older and progress through the school.

Research shows that our brains remember things more efficiently when we know the ‘bigger picture’ and can see the way that little pieces of knowledge within that subject area link together. Making links, essentially, helps information move into our long-term memory.

How should my child use it?

Your child will receive a knowledge organiser to bring home in their ‘Sticky Knowledge’ book at the start of every new topic. Please read this with your child and re-cap any prior knowledge your child should already know. This is a great opportunity for your child to show off what they have remembered! Key vocabulary for the topic will also be listed and again this is a great opportunity to discuss what these words mean with your child.

Your child may want to do some work at home in their ‘Sticky Knowledge’ book to show their learning of the topic and the key information shared on the Knowledge Organiser. This could be drawings, writing, photographs of models they have made, definitions they have researched about key vocabulary – anything that shows the learning on the knowledge organiser. We would love to see it!

In school, your child will have a 'Memory Scrapbook' that will travel through your child's learning journey with them. This helps your child to store knowledge in their 'long-term' memory and give them an opportunity to revisit prior learning.

Our RE Knowledge Organisers full of 'Sticky Knowledge' are coming soon! We are just rewriting them to match the new RE curriculum.