What lessons can we learn from the primary approach?

Mention the word “thematic” to secondary teachers and you can be sure that most will switch off. I know I did when I was teaching. 

Because of our preconceived ideas of what thematic learning is, or negative experiences of trying to make it work, we tend to disregard it within the secondary environment. For all sorts of reasons, the primary way of thematic learning just doesn’t work in secondary school. But that doesn’t mean to say that thematic learning itself should be discounted.

We probably all agree that some new solutions need to be found for the middle years stage. School leaders and teachers alike recognise the gaping divergence between primary and secondary and the many challenges it creates for students trying to navigate the transition successfully. We have all seen motivated 11-year-olds who move from primary and very quickly begin to disengage.