HISTORY 

Intent

Our intent is to provide a high quality History education that has been designed for all children to access a broad, balanced and enriching History curriculum. We want to inspire and stimulate the children’s interest, curiosity and understanding of the past and how people lived their lives, this helps them to understand how the past can affect the choices they make and their implications on the present and future.

Through our spiralling curriculum, children will gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. We teach children a sense of chronology and through this they develop a sense of identity and an awareness of the challenges of their time. Teaching of the progressive skills, equip children to ask thought-provoking questions, think critically and analytically, weigh evidence, develop perspective and judgement and integrating both substantive and disciplinary skills. History teaching will help children to understand the complexity of their lives, the process of change and the diversity of their society.

Implementation

At St Stephens, History is implemented through a series of activities that supports the development of mental timelines, understanding of cause and consequence, change and continuity, similarities and differences significance and important past events, influential people and appropriate choices.

Across EYFS, KS1 and KS2, History is taught consistently each week in 6 week blocks. At times, when it is appropriate to promote deep learning, weeks may be devoted to one topic to achieve complete immersion, such as remembrance day and Guy Fawkes night.  In order to deliver and plan a broad, balanced and enriching curriculum we follow and use Hamilton trust scheme of work.  

Children are researching evidence to support interpretations of life-changing events. Enquiry questions are used to structure the teaching and support of learning. Stories are also used as an effective tool in learning History and role play brings to life key aspects of the past. Children are also provided with resources such as explicit teaching, dual coding and scaffolding to ensure that all children of all abilities can participate confidently and fully in the lesson.

Impact

Children will develop increasingly critical and analytical thinking skills. They are equipped to make informed and balanced judgements based on their prior and developed knowledge of the past and its impact on the present and how the past can affect their lives today. Through applying their knowledge and exercising their enquiry skills, the children will make comparisons, make informed responses and question sources.  Exercising these enquiry and curious skills, allows children to integrate both substantive and disciplinary knowledge whilst understanding how the past has helped shape their identity today.

They are able to analyse and evaluate different sources of information and narratives, by carrying out research, children become increasingly aware of how historical events have impacted the past and shaped the world they currently live in. We ensure that the children’s vocabulary is embedded and expanded upon in order to give them more confidence in developing a richer repertoire of ideas.   We are also providing children with the opportunity to express their thoughts and ideas of the History curriculum through pupil voice.