Bedford Project

The Bedford Project

Welcome to 'The Bedford Project' page at Camestone School. Taking place across the first two weeks of every September, 'The Bedford Project' serves as an immersive, whole-school foundation subjects launch topic. During this fortnight, our pupils embark on a journey through their local area, exploring the rich heritage, geography, art, and design of Bedfordshire while learning the core disciplines, pre-requisites, and distinct skills of each National Curriculum subject.

Children are given the opportunity to understand subjects as distinct lenses through which to view the world, uncovering career pathways and developing academic disciplines. This is enriched through hands-on fieldwork, local primary source investigations, outdoor texture hunts, and engineering challenges rooted in our town's physical and historical landscape. Families are supported with home-link opportunities to explore local landmarks, discuss family histories, and observe the natural and built environments around Bedfordshire.

Every child at Camestone engages in real-world local enquiry throughout the project, culminating in capstone exhibitions, interactive design showcases, map-making, and historical investigations. We celebrate our community's identity—from the River Great Ouse to Cardington Hangars—fostering a deep sense of place, belonging, and pride in our modern, diverse town.

What are the Disciplinary Lenses of 'The Bedford Project'?

'The Bedford Project' breaks down foundation learning into four distinct subject identities:

• I am a Historian — understanding that historians are detectives and analysts. They ask questions, analyze primary and secondary sources, sequence events chronologically, and evaluate how individuals, industries, and migration shape the identity of a town.

• I am a Geographer — appreciating that geographers are explorers, researchers, and mapmakers. They observe human and physical features, use compasses and grid references, map river systems, and investigate local and global trade networks.

• I am an Artist — recognizing that artists are observers, collectors, and storytellers. They look closely at textures, manipulate materials, master perspective and color mixing, and use visual techniques to express community identity.

• I am a Designer — identifying that designers and engineers solve real-world problems. They analyze user needs, explore materials and mechanisms (levers, circuits, cams, textiles), and construct strong, functional, and safe prototypes.