History

Intent

At Woodloes Primary School, the intent of History education is to stimulate children’s curiosity about the past in Britain and the wider world. Through finding out about how and why the world, our country, culture and local community have developed over time, children understand how the past influences the present. History enables children to develop a context for their growing sense of identity and a chronological framework for their knowledge of significant events and people. Also, by thinking about how people lived in the past, children consider their own personal choices, attitudes and values.

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

• know and understand the history of Britain and the wider world
• develop an understanding of abstract historical terms such as ‘empire’, ‘civilisation’ and ‘parliament’
• 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 and analyses
• 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.

Implementation

Our aim is to provide a History curriculum that is designed to balance acquiring a broad and deep knowledge alongside opportunities to develop and apply historical skills. 

The Kapow Primary Scheme is used to plan and teach history sessions; ensuring full coverage of  content of the National Curriculum.  Each session identifies clearly the skills and knowledge to be taught which enables progression, both throughout the year, as well as throughout the school.

Children develop and apply progressive historical skills, for example, by finding evidence, weighing it up and reaching their own conclusions. To do this successfully, as historians, children learn to: research, interpret evidence (including primary and secondary sources), and argue for their point of view.

Experience days and / or historical trips enthuse children and enhance their understanding of the past.

Impact

Learning in History will be enjoyed across the school and children will develop:

• A secure knowledge and understanding of people, events and contexts from the historical periods covered.
• The ability to think critically about history and communicate confidently in styles appropriate to a range of audiences.
• The ability to consistently support, evaluate and challenge their own and others’ views using detailed, appropriate and accurate historical evidence derived from a range of sources.
•  A sense of curiosity about the past and an understanding of how and why people interpret the past in different ways.

Assessments linked to History take place throughout the academic year, and children are assessed against age-related expectations by their class teacher. The results of these assessments are recorded and used to inform judgements linked to attainment and progress. Assessments linked to age-related expectations are shared with parents/carers in the end of year report.

The impact of the History curriculum at Woodloes Primary School is assessed through subject specific monitoring and participation in the deep dive process.  Accompanying evidence is provided through pupil interviews, lesson visits, teacher questionnaires, work trawls, learning walks and the analysis of data.