The six Cornerstones are NEO’s pedagogical framing layer, drawn from Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model, Bowlby’s attachment theory, and Dweck’s work on growth mindset. Every NEO learning experience must serve at least one Cornerstone, both in what it teaches and in how it is taught.
Cornerstones are defined in the Teaching and Learning Policy v04.26 §1 and the Curriculum Rationale v2.0.
The six
- Connection — relationships, communication, understanding self and others
- Movement — physical engagement, embodied learning, the body as a site of knowledge
- Creativity — original expression, making, divergent thinking
- Reflection — self-awareness, critical inquiry, metacognition
- Rest — nervous system regulation, recovery, the right to pause
- Nutrition — the body, food, health, physical self-care
Cornerstone fit ratings
When an outcome page links to a Cornerstone, the link carries a fit-rating annotation drawn from the RSHE/Cornerstones Mapping convention:
- ●●● — strong natural fit (Cornerstone is genuinely embedded in how the outcome is assessed and taught)
- ●● — partial fit (Cornerstone touches the outcome; needs framing or signposting)
- ● — stretch (requires a dedicated module or resource to make the link real)
The test for ●●● is set out in Curriculum Rationale §3: “embedded in how the subject is assessed and taught — not simply because the content mentions it.”