Our Curriculum

How We Teach Maths at the Tower Hamlets Learning Hub

At the Tower Hamlets Learning Hub, we believe that true mathematical confidence comes from a balance of lightning-fast fluency and deep conceptual understanding. Our unique approach ensures every child masters the "how" before tackling the "why."

• The Power of 10 Seconds: We treat Arithmetic as a specialized discipline. Through timed practice and focused drills, we train our pupils to process most arithmetic operations in under 10 seconds. This removes the "mental load" of calculation, freeing their minds for higher-level thinking.

• "Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast": Our motto drives every lesson. By mastering the mechanics slowly and accurately first, our students naturally develop the speed and precision needed for exam success, especially in Year 6 SATs.

• Maths Mastery & Reasoning: Once the foundations are iron-clad, we transition into Reasoning and Problem Solving. Using a Maths Mastery approach, we delve deeper into the curriculum, challenging pupils to apply their skills to real-world scenarios and complex logical puzzles.

How We Teach Reading at the Tower Hamlets Learning Hub

At the Tower Hamlets Learning Hub, we believe that reading is more than just identifying words—it is about unlocking meaning. We focus on Fluency as the vital bridge that connects word recognition to deep comprehension.

• The Three Pillars of Fluency: Our approach focuses on Prosody (reading with expression), Automaticity (reading without needing to sound out every word), and Accuracy (reading with pace). When a child reads fluently, their brain is free to focus on understanding the story rather than just decoding it.

• Active Text Marking: Our pupils don’t just read; they engage. We teach students to "text mark" their passages—using dashes for strategic pauses, circling key vocabulary, and underlining words for emphasis. This active approach turns reading into a conscious, expressive performance.

• The Power of Inference: Because inferential questions make up the bulk of SATs Reading papers, we prioritise this skill at every level:

• Younger Readers: Learn to "read between the lines" through pictures, scenarios, and targeted short comprehensions. 

• Older Readers: Move into rigorous exam practice, learning how to extract deeper meaning and authorial intent from complex texts. 

How We Teach Writing at the Tower Hamlets Learning Hub

At the Tower Hamlets Learning Hub, we turn writing from a daunting task into a creative craft. We believe that great writers are built sentence by sentence, combining technical mastery with an inspired imagination.

• Contextual Grammar & Punctuation:  We don’t teach grammar in isolation. Instead, we embed it within the specific book or genre we are exploring. This allows pupils to see how a "fronted adverbial" or a "relative clause" actually functions to bring a story to life.

• A Hands-On Approach:  We make tough concepts tangible. Using sentence strips and post-it notes, pupils physically manipulate language to understand structure. We break down curriculum targets for each Key Stage, ensuring every child masters sentence-level work before moving to full compositions.

• Analysing Model Texts:  Our students study the best. We use exemplification texts provided by the British government for every genre. Through "shared reading," our teachers model their own thought processes, while pupils annotate the text to uncover why specific sentence choices and synonyms work so well.

• The Independent Write:  After "upleveling" their vocabulary and refining their phrases, pupils are empowered to produce an independent piece of writing. This is where they showcase their new knowledge, creating work they can be truly proud of.