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Cosmic Curriculum

COSMIC at Warren Park

COSMIC is our outdoor and experiential learning programme, designed to bring the curriculum to life in exciting and meaningful ways. Using our purpose-built facilities and extensive grounds, children enjoy access to green spaces and a unique environment where learning feels active, hands-on, and inspiring. Every session encourages movement, teamwork, and a love of the outdoors, supporting both physical and mental well-being.

At the heart of COSMIC is personal development and Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH). Our dedicated teaching team weave the Warren Park values into every lesson through six key strands, helping children grow in confidence, resilience, and responsibility. This work links closely with other areas of school life, such as the school council, Equalities and Rights Advocates (EARA), Junior Road Safety Officers (JRSO), wellbeing interventions, and attendance champions.

Every child takes part in a two-hour COSMIC session each week with the same teaching team. The core members of the team have been in place for almost a decade, which means they know our children—and their families—extremely well. This continuity allows strong relationships to flourish and ensures that every child feels known, valued, and supported throughout their seven-year journey at Warren Park. Over time, children also take on the role of guardians of the learning environment, helping to care for and protect the grounds for future generations.

In recent years, our COSMIC team has worked closely with subject leaders to design a curriculum that makes the most of our natural setting. This includes drawing on staff expertise, nurturing relationships, developing outdoor leadership, working with local agencies, deepening environmental knowledge, and sharing a passion for nature. Together, these experiences help spark curiosity, creativity, and a lasting connection to the world around us.

COSMIC Wider Curriculum

At Warren Park, COSMIC is our outdoor and experiential learning programme. It provides children with exciting, high-quality opportunities to learn across the curriculum by using our extensive green spaces and purpose-built facilities. Weekly sessions with the same dedicated teaching team create strong, long-term relationships that help children to feel safe, valued, and motivated to learn. Over the course of seven years, these relationships give the team unique insights into each child’s development, supporting both their wellbeing and academic progress.

Working closely with subject leaders, the COSMIC team has created a bespoke curriculum that builds on teacher expertise, outdoor leadership, local partnerships, and a shared passion for nature. This allows children to explore their world in meaningful ways, developing curiosity, resilience, and a love of learning that lasts well beyond primary school.

Science in COSMIC

COSMIC science makes the most of our outdoor environment to bring enquiry and investigation to life. From the Early Years, children begin exploring seasonal change, living things, and their environment—laying strong foundations for scientific thinking.

Each year, children take part in a longitudinal study, returning to the same enquiry six times over the year to track changes and patterns. These enquiries align with the National Curriculum and HIAS Key Ideas, helping children to collect real-world data and think like scientists. Over time, pupils build confidence in asking questions, analysing results, and explaining their findings.

Our progressive approach allows learners to carry out six longitudinal scientific studies across their seven years, focusing on themes within “Animals and Humans” and “Plants and Living Things.” By Year 6, this also includes links to PSHE and personal growth. The result is a curriculum that not only develops scientific skills and knowledge but also fosters curiosity, problem-solving, and a deep connection with nature.

Longitudinal Questions by Year:

  • Year 1 – What signs of each season can we spot in our outdoor classroom?

  • Year 2 – What clues can we find to discover which animals live here?

  • Year 3 – Which plants do animals use the most in our outdoor classroom—and how?

  • Year 4 – Who is top of the food chain in our outdoor classroom—and how do they survive?

  • Year 5 – How do different living things change across the year?

  • Year 6 – How do we grow across the year—and what affects our growth?

Geography in COSMIC

COSMIC geography develops children’s ability to ask and answer questions about the places they know and the world around them. Starting in the EYFS, children explore their school environment and begin to understand how people shape and use space.

Throughout their time at Warren Park, pupils complete six local studies. These half-term units make use of our school site, local landmarks, and key agencies such as Havant Train Station, the Bus Terminal, Portsmouth Cathedral, and Future Water (linked to the new reservoir project). Children learn to use maps, collect and analyse data, ask their own questions, and reflect on their role in their community.

We follow a two-year cycle (Spring 2 and Summer 1) to provide time for fieldwork and trips, ensuring full curriculum coverage and meaningful learning. By the end of primary school, pupils have built a secure foundation in geographical skills and knowledge, with a strong appreciation for both their local environment and the wider world.

History in COSMIC

COSMIC history helps children make sense of the past by starting with their own environment. In EYFS, children explore how their school and community have changed over time, laying the groundwork for historical thinking.

Through six local history studies, children investigate people, places, and events that have shaped our area. They use evidence, timelines, and enquiry skills to understand how the past connects to their lives today. Partnerships with local organisations such as The Spring Museum, Staunton Country Park, and Making Space give pupils access to rich resources and opportunities to meet local historians.

By working chronologically and through structured enquiries, children learn how to ask meaningful historical questions, interpret sources, and share their findings. This builds a sense of identity and helps them see history as a living subject that shapes the world around them.

Art in COSMIC

Art in COSMIC is rooted in creativity, craft, and connection to the natural world. Beginning in the EYFS, children explore expressive arts using natural and recycled materials, deepening both their artistic skills and their connection to nature.

Across their seven years, pupils complete six textile-based art projects. These include weaving, embroidery, fabric dyeing, and 3D textile work—always drawing inspiration from the outdoor environment. Sessions explore the work of diverse artists such as Anni Albers, Magdalena Abakanowicz, and Alexandra Kehayoglou, allowing pupils to connect contemporary and traditional crafts with their own creations.

This progressive approach ensures that artistic knowledge and skills develop over time, while also encouraging children to experiment, collaborate, and celebrate their individuality. COSMIC art nurtures both creativity and a lifelong appreciation of artistic expression.

Computing and PSHE in COSMIC

COSMIC also supports children’s personal development and digital safety, ensuring they are ready for life beyond primary school. With PSHE at its core, the curriculum builds confidence, resilience, teamwork, and leadership, while embedding British Values and RSE guidance.

We work in partnership with experts, including Lee Haywood, a specialist in online safety, to ensure pupils are well-informed about the digital world. Sessions cover topics such as responsible use of social media, online gaming, privacy, cyberbullying, online grooming, and the impact of artificial intelligence on daily life. By learning how to stay safe and make good choices online, children gain the skills they need to navigate digital platforms responsibly and with confidence.

Through COSMIC, pupils learn that personal growth happens in many spaces: in the classroom, outdoors, and online. Our aim is to help every child leave Warren Park as a confident, curious, and responsible learner—ready for the next stage of their education and the wider world.