History


Subject Leader - Sophie Watson

 

 

 

 

 

Our History scheme of work aims to inspire pupils to be curious and creative thinkers who develop a foundation of knowledge of local and national history and the history of the wider world. We want pupils to begin to develop the confidence to think critically, ask questions, and be able to explain and analyse historical evidence.

What we are teaching...

Reception

Peek into the past

Opportunities for the children to reflect on memories and experiences from their own past and comment on images of familiar situations in the past.

Adventures through time

Comparing and contrasting people from the past and now by looking at photographs, listening to their stories and learning about their achievements.

Year 1

Autumn Term - How am I making history?

Looking at personal chronology and finding out about the past within living memory, children examine photographs and ask questions. They begin to look at a simple timeline extending back to before they were born.

Spring Term - How have toys changed?

Sequencing toys into a physical timeline, children investigate artefacts from the past and begin to pose questions. They learn how teddy bears have changed and ‘interview’ an old teddy bear before considering what toys may be like in the future.

Summer Term - How have explorers changed the world?

Finding out about events and people beyond living memory, children focus on explorers and what makes them significant. They create a timeline and investigate which parts of the world were explored, before comparing exploration in the past with exploration today. Finally, they discuss ways in which these significant people
could be remembered.

Year 2

Autumn Term - How was school different in the past?

Finding out that schools have been in the locality for a long time but they have not always been the same. Children look for similarities and differences and use a range of sources enabling them to recognise some continuity between their lives and the past.

Spring Term - How did we learn to fly?

Developing their knowledge of events beyond living memory, reinforcing their chronological understanding by looking at significant events in the history of flight on a timeline. Learning about the individuals who contributed to the history of flight.

Summer Term - What is a monarch?

Finding out the role of a monarch, children compare the monarchy today with the monarchy in the past. Pupils investigate how William the Conqueror became King and learn how he used castles to rule. They study different types of castles and consider how these evolved over time.

How we teach...

Lessons are designed to be varied, engaging and hands-on, allowing children to experience the different aspects of an historical enquiry. In each lesson, children will participate in activities involving disciplinary and substantive concepts, developing their knowledge and understanding of Britain’s role in the past and that of the wider world. Children will develop their knowledge of concepts and chronology as well as their in-depth knowledge of the context being studied. Staff work together to adapt the teaching to ensure that lessons can be accessed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch pupils’ learning are available when required. Knowledge organisers for each unit support pupils in building a foundation of factual knowledge by encouraging recall of key facts, concepts and vocabulary. Strong subject knowledge is vital for staff to be able to deliver a highly-effective and robust history curriculum. Each unit of lessons focuses on the key subject knowledge needed to deliver the curriculum, making links with prior learning and identifying possible misconceptions.

What pupils will have learnt to do...

Teachers monitor impact through both formative and summative assessment opportunities to assess whether pupils have met the learning objectives in each lesson. Furthermore, each unit has a skill catcher and knowledge assessment quiz which can be used at the end of the unit to provide a summative assessment. Pupils should leave our school equipped with a range of skills to enable them to succeed in the next stage of their learning. They will be developing their ability as enquiring learners, who ask questions and can make suggestions about where to find the evidence to answer the question. They will be well on the road to becoming critical and analytical thinkers, who are able to make informed and balanced judgements based on their knowledge of the past.

 


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