Knowledge Organisers
Knowledge Organisers
At the beginning of each academic year, every pupil across Yewlands Academy is provided with a knowledge organiser folder. Every folder will contain a knowledge organiser for each subject the pupil studies.
What are Knowledge Organisers?
A knowledge organiser is a single-page document summarizing the crucial knowledge for a specific topic that will be studied during the term. Our knowledge organisers are designed to lay out exactly what the crucial knowledge is that they must learn to achieve in that subject.
Knowledge organisers build strong foundational knowledge for long-term memory through retrieval practice like self-quizzing. It acts as a revision tool, bridging gaps between lessons, freeing up working memory for complex tasks. Knowledge organisers are made up of:
- Key facts & concepts: The non-negotiable information for a topic.
- Vocabulary: Essential terms and definitions.
- Visual aids: Maps, diagrams, timelines, or images.
- Relevant famous quotes or examples
How are Knowledge Organisers used at Yewlands Academy?
We use knowledge organisers both during lessons and for homework/revision. It is, therefore, a core expectation for pupils of the academy to carry their knowledge organisers within their school bags at all times.
During lessons, knowledge organisers are used during starter activities to support pupils during ‘knowledge-retrieval’ tasks. Teachers will also direct pupils to use their knowledge organisers during independent learning stages of the lesson, when the knowledge organiser can give a pupil additional support during extended writing or problem-solving activities.
Homework: Year 7-9 pupils will receive weekly homework in English, Spanish, Science and maths utilising their knowledge organisers. Y10-11 pupils will receive homework across their core and option subjects.
Our homework policy centres around the knowledge organisers because we understand that:
- Homework must be simple and accessible to all students.
- Homework must support the retention of knowledge within pupils’ long-term memory to support their learning over time.
- Homework must be aligned to the curriculum and aid progress in lessons.
You can read more about the homework policy here: Yewlands Academy - Homework
Why are Knowledge Organisers so effective?
Our knowledge organisers have been written individually by subject leaders across Brigantia Trust and are aligned specifically to our curriculum. The knowledge organisers include keyword definitions, key texts, quotes, big ideas, equations, visual aids and worked examples to consolidate the learning taking place in lesson by:
- Freeing up working memory: Automates basic knowledge so the brain can focus on higher-order thinking.
- Connecting ideas: Helps link new information with existing knowledge.
- Reducing anxiety: Building up pupil confidence by clearly showing what they need to know in manageable sections of learning.
How can parents support?
As parents/carers, we ask you to support by:
- Making sure your child has a waterproof school bag to carry their knowledge organiser to school
- Ensuring your child to complete their knowledge organiser homework tasks
- Asking them quiz questions from the knowledge organiser book