History

History Curriculum Intent

Curriculum Aims

At Christ Church VA Primary School, we believe the study of history involves engaging pupils in learning about people and events of the past. Pupils build a picture of how the world and its people have changed throughout time. The history curriculum is purposefully constructed to allow children to develop a sound chronological understanding of the past and to facilitate links between the different periods of history studied. By exploring the past, children develop a better understanding of their lives today, enabling them to grow up as more-informed and knowledgeable citizens.

We have established a school history curriculum that:

· Provides opportunities for pupils to learn about the past and build their knowledge and understanding of significant people and events.

· Develops a positive attitude and enthusiasm for history that lay the foundations for future studies.

· Builds upon the EYFS history provision, particularly the knowledge and skills developed in the Past and Present Early Learning Goals to ensure that pupils develop a secure chronological knowledge of local, British and world history.

· Is progressively more challenging from Year 1 to Year 6 in terms of substantive knowledge and critical thinking.

· Provides opportunities to develop historical knowledge and understanding, establishing clear narratives within and across periods studied.

· Is broad and balanced in terms of subject content. For example, pupils learn about British history from the Stone Age to the Norman invasion of 1066, as well as focusing on the achievements of ancient civilisations such as the Maya, Ancient Greece and the Romans.

· Extends pupils’ knowledge and understanding beyond 1066 through the study of the Tudors and the importance of Tudor monarchs to religious change in Britain.

· Focuses on chronology to encourage pupils to evaluate change and progress between different ages, providing opportunities to note connections and contrasts over time.

· Develops disciplinary knowledge to ensure pupils can begin to understand how historians have built our current understanding of the past while appreciating that this may continue to change in the future.

· Provides opportunities to use appropriate historical vocabulary and develop relevant historical terms.

· Is inclusive and delivers appropriate opportunities for historical learning for all pupils.

Implementation

The School has a planned two-year cycle to deliver the history curriculum, which reflects our mixed-age classes. Christ Church Knowledge Organisers are issued each term, summarising the required knowledge and vocabulary for each topic. Key knowledge is introduced in lessons and regularly retrieved throughout the topic; more challening substantive concepts are revisited in a variey of historical concepts over the course of the cycles to develop knowledge and understanding. Plans are adapted to support and challenge pupils at all stages of their learning.

At Christ Church, we adopt an enquiry-based approach to teaching and learning history. Through enquiry, pupils develop substantive knowledge of the period they are studying alongside the disciplinary skills historians have used to build their understanding of the past. By using appropriate historical vocabulary and terms, children also develop their critical thinking. Historical enquiry questions are used to support pupils to make judgements about the past, encourage them to support their judgements with appropriate evidence and, in UKS2, devise their own relevant historical enquiry questions.

Our history curriculum is founded upon our school’s History Second Order Concepts: Causation, Significance, Similarity and Difference, Continuity and Change, Perspective and Chronology. These concepts are revisited in different contexts, enabling pupils to develop their understanding. To help build a strong chronological awareness of the past, children use timelines to place events in chronological order, encouraging them to build ‘mental timelines’ of the past. Primary and secondary sources of evidence are used to support pupils to make inferences and construct historical arguments. There is a planned progression in disciplinary knowledge to ensure pupils can begin to understand how historians have built our current understanding of the past while appreciating that this may continue to change in the future.

Teaching and learning in history are interactive and practical, providing opportunities for children to work independently, in pairs and in small groups both within and outside of the classroom.

To promote an enthusiasm for history, a range of activities are employed including:

· ‘Hook in’ experiences to bring history to life are planned at the start of the topic. These may include visits to local historically significant sites or topic specialists delivering workshops in school.

· Practical tasks to improve chronological knowledge, allowing pupils to develop ‘mental timelines’ of the past.

· Planned progression in disciplinary knowledge to ensure pupils can develop their understanding of significance, causation, continuity and change and similarity and difference.

· Use of primary and secondary source of evidence to support pupils to make inferences and construct historical arguments.

· The School Museum creates opportunities for children to explore our School’s history in an accessible and engaging way.

· History teaching in EYFS is based on guidance from the Understanding of the World unit.

· Opportunities to develop particular areas of interest are provided through termly ‘Homework Projects’ which allow pupils to complete their own independent historical research.

· Developing pupils’ understanding by engaging them in the topic beyond history lessons. For example, many connections are made within English lessons, allowing children to extend their thinking, embed vocabulary and clarify concepts; and pupils’ understanding of historically significant figures is also explored via Courageous Advocacy.

Assessment

Pupils are assessed termly against attainment and progress expectations. Teachers use Foundation Termly Assessments alongside classroom observations, discussions and bookwork to inform their knowledge and understanding of pupil knowledge and understanding.

Progress is tracked termly using the non-core tracker and reported to parents at Parents’ Evening and in the end of year written report.

Impact

The subject is monitored by the history co-ordinator, who attends CPD sessions to continue to develop best practice and approaches to teaching. The co-ordinator leads staff CPD sessions to develop teaching practice and maintain confidence.

The subject co-ordinator monitors termly assessments and completes at-least-termly ‘Know and Tell’ sessions with learners. During these sessions, a group of mixed ability pupils are invited to share and discuss their history learning. The subject co-ordinator collates this information alongside termly data to inform the termly Governor Reports and History Action Plan and ensure progression from Nursery through to Year 6.