History at Carleton Endowed CE (VA) Primary School
At Carleton Primary School, we believe that high-quality history lessons inspire children to want to know more about the past and to think and act as historians. By linking learning to a range of topics, children have opportunities to investigate and interpret the past, understand chronology, build an overview of Britain’s past, as well as that of the wider world. Regular opportunities for children to practice the distinctive features of writing as a historian, supports their sense of period and chronology to help develop a wider vocabulary and enable them to practice skills which help them communicate historically. As well as this, to ensure that every child enjoys and loves learning about history, we strive to develop their knowledge and skills, not only through experiences in the classroom, but also with the use of fieldwork and educational visits.
The following statements therefore represent the key intentions that drive forward our History curriculum and continue to develop our children with essential characteristics to help them become historians.
Intent:
- To deliver a progressive History curriculum which teaches knowledge and skills.
- To ensure a curriculum that builds on an understanding of chronology/key periods.
- To ensure that there is a much greater emphasis on the ‘powerful knowledge’ that children need in order to not only truly understand concepts, but also to enable them to apply the knowledge, offer informed explanations, make links and spot patterns.
Implementation:
In ensuring high standards of teaching and learning in history, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school. History is taught as part of a half-termly topic, focusing on knowledge and skills stated in the National Curriculum. As part of this process we will be working towards the Primary History Quality Mark to support our development of learning and teaching in history.
Key focus elements:
- Clear and progressive comprehensive scheme of work in line with the National Curriculum: The History National Curriculum and EYFS is planned for and covered in full within the EYFS, KS1 and KS2 school curriculum.
- Knowledge organisers: Children have access to key knowledge, language and meanings to understand History and to use these skills across the curriculum.
- Low stakes quiz: Used regularly to support learners’ ability to block learning and increase space in the working memory.
- Challenge questions for pupils to apply their learning in a philosophical/open manner.
Impact:
Our History Curriculum is high quality, well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression.
- Children will know more, remember more and understand more about History.
- Children will understand and use the key skills of chronological; understanding, knowledge and understanding of events in the past, Historical interpretation, Historical Enquiry and organisation and communication.
- The large majority of children will achieve age related expectations in History.
- As Historians children will learn lessons from history to influence the decisions they make in their lives in the future. They may consider being a historian as a career.