The Intent of our History Curriculum
Our intent is that our teaching of History will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. We aim for it to inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past. We aim to enable pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. History helps pupils to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups. It also helps children gain a sense of their own identity and the challenges of their time.
The Implementation of our History Curriculum
Our History curriculum fulfils the National Curriculum requirements, using Rising Stars History as a tool to help us deliver the objectives and ensure progression of skills. We have personalised our curriculum to link with our Gospel values and our local area where possible.
In Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 History is taught through timetabled specific lessons on a half termly basis, alternating with Rising Stars Geography, with cross-subject links and references to help students embed holistic knowledge.
Where appropriate we use historical artefacts, visitors, workshops and visits to excite and intrigue our children to find out more about events and people from the past. We aim to give our children as much understanding as possible about what is was like to be around at a particular period in history by having practical and experiential lessons where possible.
The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum supports children’s understanding of History through the planning and teaching of ‘Understanding the World’. This aspect is about how children find out about past and present events in their own lives, their families and other people they know. Children are encouraged 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?', ‘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.
The Impact of our History Curriculum
- Children will become increasingly critical and analytical within their thinking. Making informed and balanced judgements based on their knowledge of the past.
- Children will become increasingly aware of how historical events have shaped the world that they currently live in.
- They will also have a further understanding of History on a local level.
- Children will develop enquiry skills to pursue their own interests within a topic and further questioning.
- Where applicable, children will have encountered or participated in high-quality visits/visitors to further appreciate the impact of History.
- Children are able to make connections between what they have previously learned and what they are currently learning.