Brandesburton Primary School

Subject Leader: K. Gardner

History Curriculum Statement

Intent:  At Brandesburton Primary School, we want our children to love history. The study of history ignites children’s curiosity about the past in Britain and

the wider world and through this we want them to have no limits to what their ambitions are. Our aim is to stimulate all children’s interest and understanding

about the life of people who lived in the past, finding out about how and why the world, our country, culture and local community have developed over time in order for children to understand how the past influences the present.  We teach children a sense of chronology, in order to develop a sense of identity and a cultural understanding based on their historical heritage. This enables our children to learn to value their own and other people’s cultures in modern multicultural Britain and what they learn can influence their decisions about personal choices, attitudes and values.  We aim to make all children aware of the actions of important people in history and enable children to know about significant events in British history, whilst appreciating how things have changed over time. History will also ensure our children understand how Britain developed as a society, contributing to their understanding of their country of residence. Furthermore, our children will learn about aspects of local, British and Ancient history. This wider awareness leads to the children having some knowledge of historical development in the wider world. We believe that by allowing the children to understand the importance and enjoyment of History through different opportunities, they will become enthused learners in History.  

 Implementation: Our whole curriculum is shaped by our school vision which aims to enable all children, regardless of background, ability, additional needs, to flourish to become the very best version of themselves they can possibly be. We teach the National Curriculum, supported by a clear skills and knowledge progression. This ensures that skills and knowledge are built on year by year and sequenced appropriately to maximise learning for all children. It is important that the children develop progressive skills of a historian and do not just learn a series of facts about the past. We encourage children to find evidence, weigh it up and reach their own conclusion. To do this successfully, as historians, they need to be able to research, interpret evidence, including primary and secondary sources, and have the necessary skills to argue for their point of view, a vital skill that will help them in their adult life.

History is taught through thematic units which cover aspects of British history as well as ancient civilisations from world history.

EYFS

The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum supports children’s understanding of History through the planning and teaching of Understanding the World: Past and Present.

The ELG states that children at the expected level of development will:

– Talk about the lives of the people around them and their roles in society

 – Know some similarities and differences between things in the past and now, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class

 – Understand the past through settings, characters and events encountered in books read in class and storytelling

 In EYFS we provide opportunities for children find out about past and present events in their own lives, their families and other people they know. We encourage our children to develop a sense of change over time and are given opportunities to differentiate between past and present by observing routines throughout the day, growing plants, observing the passing of seasons and time and looking at photographs of their life and of others. Practitioners encourage investigative behaviour and raise questions such as, ‘What do you think?’, ‘Tell me more about?’, ‘What will happen if..?’, ‘What else could we try?’, ‘What could it be used for?’ and ‘How might it work?’ Use of language relating to time is used in daily routines and conversations with children for example, ‘yesterday’, ‘old’, ‘past’, ‘now’ and ‘then’.

Impact: The impact of this curriculum design will lead to outstanding progress over time across key stages relative to a child’s individual starting point and their progression of skills. Children will therefore be expected to leave Brandesburton reaching at least age-related expectations for History. Our History curriculum will also lead pupils to be enthusiastic history learners which is evidenced in a range of ways.

Assessment

History is recorded in Theme books and should typically reflect examples of all four strands (chronological awareness, knowledge and understanding, historical concepts and organise, evaluate and communicate information). Some of the evidence will involve photographic evidence or teacher’s notes where the activity has been one of discussion or drama or be recorded on the observation and recording table.

Teachers assess children’s knowledge, understanding and skills in History by making observations within class and by analysis of their written evidence. As part of our assessment for learning process (and in line with our school’s assessment policy), children will receive both verbal and written feedback as a means of development. Children are also encouraged to be critical of their own work, highlighting their own next steps. Throughout the year Foundation subject assessment grids are completed by class teachers, showing children’s attainment in the four strands as previously detailed. The Curriculum Leader will then analyse this data and provide feedback to the History Leader in order to inform and improve future practice.

A typical teaching sequence in history:

 · Place the historical period being covered in the chronological context of previous learning, using a timeline.

· Connect learning to previous periods studied and recap key knowledge against the key concepts

· Identify and use key vocabulary related to historical enquiry and the period being studied

· Carry out historical enquiry using research, a range of sources and artefacts using elements of the key concepts

· Interpret their findings, make comparisons and draw conclusions using elements of the key concepts

· Identify and learn about significant people and events and the impact they had

· Communicate their historical knowledge and understanding in an appropriate way

· Evaluate what they have learned, identify key knowledge and compare with other historical periods and their own experiences

Each Historic teaching sequence will begin with the children gaining an understanding of the historical time-period being studied. The children will build upon their understanding of chronology by studying and creating a timeline. The children will then spend time learning about how this period compares to other previous time periods studied in order to develop their understanding of chronology and to gain a perspective of historic events.