What Is a Knowledge-Rich Curriculum and How Can Experiences Support It?
In recent years, more schools have adopted a knowledge-rich curriculum, an approach that emphasises building a strong foundation of essential facts, vocabulary, and concepts across subjects. The goal is to give every child access to the powerful knowledge they need to succeed in school and beyond.
How We Do It
Memorising facts in isolation isn’t enough. For knowledge to be meaningful and memorable, it must be taught in ways that engage the whole child. That’s where experiential learning comes in. At Teach Rex, we’ve seen how immersive workshops help reinforce curriculum content, improve recall, and bring the learning to life in a way that sticks.
So, what does a knowledge-rich curriculum actually involve, and how can experiences like ours support it?
What Do We Mean by “Knowledge-Rich”?
A knowledge-rich curriculum is built around the idea that all pupils should have access to a shared body of essential knowledge. This includes:
- Subject-specific vocabulary
- Key historical, scientific, and cultural facts
- Core concepts and recurring themes
- Content that builds over time to deepen understanding
This approach aims to close gaps in opportunity by ensuring that knowledge is taught explicitly, sequenced carefully, and revisited regularly. It helps pupils make connections between subjects and develop a stronger sense of the world around them.
Why Experiences Matter
To retain knowledge, children need more than exposure—they need engagement, context, and memory hooks. Experiential learning gives them just that. When children participate in a high-energy, story-driven workshop, they don’t just hear about ideas, they live them.
Here’s how experiences help reinforce key curriculum content:
- Emotion aids memory: Emotionally charged moments, like a life-sized T. Rex roaring in assembly, trigger stronger memory retention.
- Context builds meaning: Vocabulary and concepts become more meaningful when children see them in action, through performance and storytelling.
- Multi-sensory input creates stronger connections: Green screen filming, movement, music, and visuals all engage different parts of the brain.
Linking Experiences to Core Knowledge
Teach Rex workshops are designed by former teachers and linked directly to curriculum objectives. Our sessions support knowledge retention across a wide range of subjects:
Science
Through dinosaur-themed stories and hands-on learning, children learn about fossils, food chains, habitats, adaptation, and evolution, core topics in the primary science curriculum.
English
Workshops introduce rich vocabulary and narrative structures. Pupils revisit this vocabulary during green screen planning, script writing, and follow-up creative tasks, which helps embed language and structure in long-term memory.
Geography and PSHE
Through our animal workshops, pupils explore global issues like rainforest destruction, endangered species, and conservation, embedding big concepts in a child-friendly and accessible way.
Digital Literacy
Green screen activities help pupils plan, perform, and reflect on digital storytelling, developing real-world tech skills alongside communication and collaboration.
Revisiting Knowledge After the Workshop
A key part of the knowledge-rich model is retrieval practice, which involves revisiting what has been learned over time. Teach Rex workshops are designed to spark this process. After a visit, many teachers build follow-up tasks around what pupils experienced:
- Writing sequels or diary entries
- Using workshop vocabulary in guided reading
- Recreating scenes or facts in art and DT
- Recalling key scientific ideas weeks later
These follow-up tasks help embed knowledge deeply and demonstrate just how powerful experience-led learning can be.
More Than Teaching
Building on the Experience
A knowledge-rich curriculum doesn’t need to be dry or rigid. It can be dynamic, inclusive, and exciting, especially when supported by experiences that bring core content to life.
At Teach Rex, we don’t just entertain. We amplify the curriculum, helping children connect emotionally with what they’re learning, so it becomes something they remember, use, and build upon.
Want to see how experiential learning can support your curriculum?
Explore our workshops or get in touch to book a visit that brings knowledge to life.