History
Intent
At Worth Primary School we believe that the high-quality teaching of History provides children with the ability to make meaningful connections to the past and the world they live in now. We aim to inspire children to explore different periods of time, events and significant people(s) from the past to gain an understanding of how different cultures and beliefs may have influenced the world we live in today. We are committed to providing an enquiry-based curriculum which immerses and inspires our children in history, creating budding historians from EYFS to Year 6. Through our history programme of study, we aim to equip children with an understanding and knowledge of coherent chronology, cause and consequence, continuity and change, historical interpretation, context and diversity.
We have strong links with local castles, historians, artifacts and use these to support us in providing meaningful and enriched learning opportunities for all. We are committed to the enquiry-based learning approach and the idea that history learning should feature a range of kinaesthetic, visual and auditory learning.
The history curriculum at Worth School draws from and makes full use of the immediate and wider local area, enabling children to develop a deep understanding of the rich history of their locality. Topics are informed by the national curriculum, 2014, and are sensitive to children’s interests, as well as the context of the local area. The history curriculum at Worth Primary School is carefully planned and structured to enable cross curricular links as well as ensure current learning is linked to previous learning and that the school’s approaches are informed by current pedagogy. In line with the national curriculum 2014, the curriculum at Worth aims to ensure that all pupils:
- Gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world which helps to stimulate pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past;
• Are encouraged to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement;
• Begin to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.
Implementation
At Worth Primary School planning is informed by the National Curriculum, 2014, to ensure all aspects, knowledge and skills are taught across the year groups. We have progression grids that are used for planning to ensure the concepts and areas are built upon from previous learning, ensuring progression across key stages. However, teachers planning is not limited by a singular scheme. Cross curricular outcomes are specifically planned for and delivered through a wide range of learning opportunities, such as ICT, story books/texts, active and written tasks and through visits and trips. We believe through real life context children can develop a meaningful understanding of history and what it means to be a historian.
The history curriculum is designed to ensure appropriate diversity in the significant figures that children learn about. Teachers’ cater for the varying needs of all learners, differentiating activities where necessary and as appropriate, and ensuring an appropriate level of challenge. Outcomes of work are regularly monitored to ensure that they reflect a sound understanding of the key identified knowledge.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) follows the ‘Development Matters in the EYFS’ guidance which aims for all children in reception to have an ‘Understanding of the World; people and communities, the world and technology’ by the end of the academic year.
All topics have links to previous learning, which are scaffolded to support children to recognise and recall previous knowledge and allow them to integrate new knowledge into larger concepts.
Our playground has a visible timeline on display. The timeline is tailored to our curriculum allowing for the children to place their new topics and learning in the correct chronological place and for reference back to previous learning.
The key knowledge and skills that children acquire and develop throughout has been developed using 'Golden Threads', links. At the beginning of each new history topic, teachers refer to classroom timelines to develop children’s understanding of chronology. Each topic is introduced with reference to the chronology of previous topics (including those from previous years).
The KWL strategy (What I Know, What I would like to know and what I have learnt) is used to check existing knowledge at the beginning of each history topic and this process informs a programme of study that is responsive to children’s interests. Key knowledge is reviewed by the children and rigorously checked and consolidated by the teacher. By the end of year 6, children will have a chronological understanding of British history from the Stone Age to the present day. They are able to draw comparisons and make connections between different time periods and their own lives. Interlinked with this are studies of world history, such as the ancient civilisations of Greece and the Egyptians.
Impact
Work in history, literacy books and using floor books, evidences a broad and balanced history curriculum and demonstrate the children’s acquisition of identified key knowledge.
Emphasis is placed on analytical thinking and questioning and children demonstrate a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world, in addition to being curious to know more about the past. Through this study pupils ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. Regular enrichment projects provide further relevant and contextual learning, engaging members of the community in children’s learning and providing positive role models from the community for children to learn from.
Through pupil voice children are able to talk about the skills and knowledge they have acquired. Children are engaged in history lessons and want to find out more. Children complete research independently through projects to further their own enjoyment about the subject or topic.
Work shows that a range of topics is being covered, cross curricular links are made where possible and differentiated work set as appropriate. The school environment is history rich through displays, resources, vocabulary etc.
As historians, children learn lessons from history to influence the decisions they make in their lives in the future. Assessments and monitoring show standards in history are high and will match standards in other subject areas.
Impact
By the end of Year 6 our Children will be able to:
- Effectively use a range of artefacts and sources, analyse nature, origin, purpose, utility, accuracy and reliability
- Consider causation and significance of key events
- Learn without limits, making cross-curricular links to secure application and mastery
- Think critically, question and challenge sources, opinions and information