Project Based Learning

Project Based Learning was introduced as an important part of our curriculum to widen and extend the learning experience of our children; to inspire curious learners, foster a collaborative based approach to interdisciplinary learning and to develop independence. In the academic year  2025-26, we are delivering PBL in 3 drop down days; one in each term.  This means that on one day a term, all pupils will be involved in a PBL project.  Each year group will have the three projects they work on, with pupils working through the projects on a carousel, so pupils participate in all 3 projects throughout the year.

Every year we ask pupils what they would like to learn as part of their curriculum.  We want our curriculum to be engaging and pertinent to our children; for them to feel they have an input into what they are learning – and PBL allows us to do this.  We amend and develop our projects each year, using feedback from the pupil voice work we do throughout the year.

In Autumn Term 2024 we introduced a mindfulness project into Year 7, which reflected pupil’s increased mental health awareness.  We are also developed a project on conspiracy and fake news which is running again this year, as pupils are increasingly aware of the manipulation that can take place in the presentation of events on social media, television and print news.

In PBL pupils are taught the necessary content for the project and given information needed, but also have  opportunities to work autonomously, developing their projects within their groups and utilising their skills, whilst developing and learning new ones such as problem solving, decision making, communication skills, research skills, ICT and time resource and time management.

The outcome is different in each project, some producing a written piece, whilst others produce a documentary or a piece of drama. The outcomes of PBL are varied; some showcased throughout the year on social media, in live performances for peers, through work with local First Schools, in school displays or in written pieces.

The introduction of PBL in September 2019 gave us the opportunity to develop partnerships with outside agencies and companies, exploring both the provision and the philosophy underlying PBL and enabling us to further enhance the PBL experience for our children.  In 2020-21  we worked extensively with staff from Newcastle University to explore PBL pedagogy and possibility within the wider curriculum and developed a bespoke project on Sustainability, which forms part of our Year 7 PBL curriculum.  A link to The University of Newcastle Upon Tyne teacher guide, Planning curriculum-embedded PBL with real world connections includes examples from our PBL work and can be found here.

In 2022-23 our collaboration with Newcastle University moved to developing a project on Climate Change, which has informed our Year 8 Climate Change project.  In this year we also collaborated on a Chapter which appeared in The Ideas Informed Society, edited by Chris Brown and Graham Handscomb.  In 2023-24 we worked with both Newcastle University and The Royal Society to create a project exploring our carbon footprint in school and exploring ways to reduce this.  This work has been expanded to inform planning in the Year 5 Eco Project and we hope to include some of the planning and funding into our other Eco and STEM based projects.

Examples of Student Work in PBL

2025-26 PBL Project Overview