History

What is it?

Introduction

We follow the National Curriculum Programme of Study for History and the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework.

The National Curriculum Programme of Study for History can be viewed at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7c2917e5274a1f5cc762cf/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_-_History.pdf

The Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework can be viewed at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/670fa42a30536cb92748328f/EYFS_statutory_framework_for_group_and_school_-_based_providers.pdf

Purpose of studying History

A high-quality history education will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. It should inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about how the past has impacted the world today. History helps pupils 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.

The National Curriculum for History aims to ensure that all pupils:

• know and understand the history studied as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day: how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world.
• know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution of empires; characteristic features of past non-European societies; achievements and follies of mankind.
• gain and deploy a historically grounded understanding of abstract terms such as ‘empire’, ‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and ‘peasantry’.
• understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance, and use them to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame historically valid questions and create their own structured accounts, including written narratives.
• understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed.
• gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history; and between short- and long-term timescales.

Teaching and Learning

History teaching focuses on enabling children to think as historians. We place emphasis on examining historical artefacts and sources of evidence and give children the opportunity to visit sites of historical significance. Where possible, we encourage visitors to come into school to share their experiences and understanding of events in the past. We recognise and value the importance of stories in history teaching, and we regard this as an important way of stimulating interest in the past. We focus on helping children understand that historical events can be interpreted in different ways, and that they should always ask searching questions about information they are given. Emphasis is placed on the development of skills and a historical perspective alongside factual knowledge. Staff are encouraged to develop cross-curricular links with history and other subjects to provide a relevant and meaningful curriculum for all pupils.

As Historians:

• We value and respect the process of democracy
• We value and respect the rule of law
• We value and respect the freedom of every individual
• We are respectful of ourselves and others
• We value and respect different cultures, faiths and beliefs

At Appleton Primary School, we inspire our children through the History Curriculum, which we have developed based on the National Curriculum for History and Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage where the foundation of historical knowledge and skills are evident in ‘Understanding the World’. Children are taught skills and concepts progressively across the school in line with these statutory documents.

Our history curriculum aims to inspire curiosity and fascination about the past in Britain and the wider world, whilst developing coherent chronological knowledge and an enquiring mind. We aim to provide the children with a rich and diverse History curriculum, where they can investigate the past using research skills, by making inferences and by drawing conclusions. We emphasise the importance of historical interpretation and help children to understand that sources may be unreliable or present a particular perspective, with the aim of ensuring children think critically about the information in front of them.

We help children to begin to make sense of the world around them from the earliest age, by encouraging children to be curious, asking ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions and supporting them to answer in a way most appropriate to their age and understanding. We want children to be immersed in the history topics through cross-curricular links, the use of drama and storytelling, exploration and handling of artefacts and with educational visits.

 In History, not only so we implement an inclusive curriculum that meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum, but one that also inspires a love of the past. Teachers have identified the key knowledge and skills for each unit and consideration has been given to ensure progression across the topics throughout each year group across the school. This begins with EYFS as children learn about the past and present, knowing some similarities and differences between things in the past and now, drawing on experiences and what has been read in class e.g. understanding the past through settings, characters and events used in storytelling.

Across Key Stage 1, children begin to develop an awareness of the past by building upon their knowledge from EYFS by studying people and events and begin to identify similarities and differences between different time periods. Children learn about some of the ways in which we find out about the past and how events studied fit into the chronological framework.

Within Key Stage 2, children build on prior knowledge and continue to develop chronologically secure knowledge of British, local and world history. Children learn to develop historically valid questions, identifying contrasts and trends over time, and make connections. Children also learn how our knowledge of the past is constructed through a range of sources.

Teachers assess learning in history against knowledge and skills-based learning objectives within unit overviews. Enrichment opportunities such as educational visits provide our children with rich experiences and enhance teaching, learning and understanding.

All learning will start by revisiting prior knowledge. This will be scaffolded to support children to recall previous learning and make connections. Staff will model the subject-specific vocabulary, knowledge and skills relevant to the learning to allow them to integrate new knowledge into larger concepts. Children are encouraged to make links across the curriculum through topic-based learning.

 Our history curriculum ensures that children have a strong knowledge of historical events, a coherent understanding of chronology and an appreciation of the impact that history has on the modern world. Children are encouraged to talk about what they have learnt and understand in history using subject specific vocabulary along with recalling their learning over time.

Children can use their knowledge and skills to pose questions, evaluate evidence and draw conclusions. They will be able to make connections between key events, situations and changes both within and across different time periods/ societies. Children will understand some of the similarities and differences between British and wider world history. They will be able to construct informed responses by selecting and organising relevant historical information.

Through our curriculum offer, children are encouraged to become curious about the past and have a love of history that will remain with them beyond their time at Appleton Primary School.