History

Mr. Watts is the curriculum lead for History.

Intent

Our History curriculum is designed so that children leave primary school with a wealth of knowledge on how society has evolved locally, across Britain and worldwide. History helps pupils to understand the process of change, the diversity of societies, as well as their own identity and the challenges faced. Our history curriculum will equip the children to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, shift arguments and develop perspective and judgement.

Our History curriculum aims to give children the hands-on experiences and enquiry skills to develop key knowledge about what has happened in the past and the impact on Britain and the rest of the world. Every period of history studied will contain broad and rich encounters and explore carefully selected artefacts which will depict daily life in specific eras and provide a lens into the studied context. This will subsequently act as a stimulus for knowledge retention. Each unit considers political, social, economic and cultural history and focused on different time periods, allowing children to build an understanding of the coexistence of different civilisations.

Our History curriculum progresses chronologically through carefully selected topics and allows children to gain an understanding of history over time and how historians have depicted their accounts. Subsequently, children will develop an understanding of the role and significance of being a historian. This is completed by ensuring a historical diet of both Substantive Knowledge (referring to knowledge about the past) and Disciplinary Knowledge (referring to knowledge about how historians and others study the past, and how they construct historical claims, arguments and accounts). This involves studying core knowledge (referred to as our Key Learning) which is ambitious content that school has established to be the most important for our children to retain in order to meet the outline of the National Curriculum, supported by carefully considered hinterland background information that helps to make core knowledge meaningful by placing it within a rich and locally significant context. To develop conceptual links between the concepts of history, key threads have been identified. These are important concepts that are repeatedly developed and allow children to gain a more complex understanding of the key learning. 

Implementation

Class teachers are accountable for the planning of an engaging and creative sequence of learning. This sequence is overseen by the History subject leader, who has outlined a coherent curriculum for children, with a clear focus on developing chronological understanding. Each year group has a progressive map of key learning to embed throughout the school year. When planning, teachers are aware of the prior learning that children have undertaken and will assess the retention of this before a unit of work is planned, any gaps on an individual and cohort level will be addressed. Teachers must have an understanding  of the upcoming taught units in subsequent years to be aware of what the children must master to access this content. Leaders assure the quality of history education by meaningfully assessing what children know and remember over time.

Children encounter a wide range of important concepts repeatedly. This enables them to embed key knowledge and apply these concepts to new learning. Each year group focuses on different time periods and events in history, allowing children to gain a secure knowledge and chronological understanding of the history of the UK, as well as exploring the history of the wider world. The key areas of learning in History are grouped as chronology, concepts, interpretation, enquiry and communication. Teachers must first ensure children develop a strong knowledge of the past to enable them to engage with presented sources and resources meaningfully. An ongoing consideration throughout units is focussing on how historians construct their accounts based on the available sources. Children will then be equipped to construct judgments based on secure understanding, rich connective knowledge and an understanding how claims and accounts of the past are constructed. Lessons ensure that children explore in detail how people lived in the past, their values and attitudes and how developments were connected. Narratives and stories are incorporated into lessons to provide a rich contextual understanding. This builds on what children already know by using well selected narratives and examples to make abstract ideas meaningful and ensures a broader understanding of topics. Adaptations are made by teachers to ensure SEND children can access the learning, this is monitored by subject leaders and the SENDCo.

History in school starts in the Foundation Stage, where our children focus on the Early Learning Goal (ELG) of past and present. From here, children will start to explore history by studying three key threads: technology, monarchy and settlements. When studying each topic, children build a wide understanding of the historical world around them, ensuring they leave school with a secure grasp of the history of their locality, Britain and worldwide, ready for further learning in secondary school. Teachers do not just focus around the three key threads but they must consider these within their sequence of learning. Teachers source high quality resources, along with enrichment opportunities which include residential visits, day visits and in school workshops. Technology use is carefully considered to enhance learning. High quality training and CPD for staff is sourced by the history subject leader.

Formative assessment in History is carried out within every lesson and specific, high quality instruction and feedback is given to children in order to develop their skills to systematically check and secure understanding. Explicit teaching and modelling develops children’s historical enquiry skills and is woven into every lesson. Summative assessment includes a thorough audit of a child’s prior skills and knowledge and teachers consequently plan their future units considering these findings. Revisiting concepts regularly ensures that children develop secure knowledge of the intended curriculum.

Impact

• Children learn and remember well sequenced historical knowledge and can apply it to future study.
• Children know of the relevance and history of their locality.Children will have developed a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods.
• Can note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms.
• Children understand the significance and impact of political, social, economic and cultural history.
• Children feel secure and confident in completing their own historical enquiries.
• Children use ambitious vocabulary to help them to discuss, recall knowledge and understand history both locally and the wider world with a passion for finding out more.
• When encountering historical sources, children apply their contextual awareness of civilisations.
• Children can apply their chronological awareness to historical literature.

Informed by Rich encounters with the past: history subject report- July 2023 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/subject-report-series-history/rich-encounters-with-the-past-history-subject-report

Below you can find the Long Term Plan for History in Frodsham Manor House.

History

Mr. Watts is the curriculum lead for History.

Intent

Our History curriculum is designed so that children leave primary school with a wealth of knowledge on how society has evolved locally, across Britain and worldwide. History helps pupils to understand the process of change, the diversity of societies, as well as their own identity and the challenges faced. Our history curriculum will equip the children to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, shift arguments and develop perspective and judgement.

Our History curriculum aims to give children the hands-on experiences and enquiry skills to develop key knowledge about what has happened in the past and the impact on Britain and the rest of the world. Every period of history studied will contain broad and rich encounters and explore carefully selected artefacts which will depict daily life in specific eras and provide a lens into the studied context. This will subsequently act as a stimulus for knowledge retention. Each unit considers political, social, economic and cultural history and focused on different time periods, allowing children to build an understanding of the coexistence of different civilisations.

Our History curriculum progresses chronologically through carefully selected topics and allows children to gain an understanding of history over time and how historians have depicted their accounts. Subsequently, children will develop an understanding of the role and significance of being a historian. This is completed by ensuring a historical diet of both Substantive Knowledge (referring to knowledge about the past) and Disciplinary Knowledge (referring to knowledge about how historians and others study the past, and how they construct historical claims, arguments and accounts). This involves studying core knowledge (referred to as our Key Learning) which is ambitious content that school has established to be the most important for our children to retain in order to meet the outline of the National Curriculum, supported by carefully considered hinterland background information that helps to make core knowledge meaningful by placing it within a rich and locally significant context. To develop conceptual links between the concepts of history, key threads have been identified. These are important concepts that are repeatedly developed and allow children to gain a more complex understanding of the key learning. 

Implementation

Class teachers are accountable for the planning of an engaging and creative sequence of learning. This sequence is overseen by the History subject leader, who has outlined a coherent curriculum for children, with a clear focus on developing chronological understanding. Each year group has a progressive map of key learning to embed throughout the school year. When planning, teachers are aware of the prior learning that children have undertaken and will assess the retention of this before a unit of work is planned, any gaps on an individual and cohort level will be addressed. Teachers must have an understanding  of the upcoming taught units in subsequent years to be aware of what the children must master to access this content. Leaders assure the quality of history education by meaningfully assessing what children know and remember over time.

Children encounter a wide range of important concepts repeatedly. This enables them to embed key knowledge and apply these concepts to new learning. Each year group focuses on different time periods and events in history, allowing children to gain a secure knowledge and chronological understanding of the history of the UK, as well as exploring the history of the wider world. The key areas of learning in History are grouped as chronology, concepts, interpretation, enquiry and communication. Teachers must first ensure children develop a strong knowledge of the past to enable them to engage with presented sources and resources meaningfully. An ongoing consideration throughout units is focussing on how historians construct their accounts based on the available sources. Children will then be equipped to construct judgments based on secure understanding, rich connective knowledge and an understanding how claims and accounts of the past are constructed. Lessons ensure that children explore in detail how people lived in the past, their values and attitudes and how developments were connected. Narratives and stories are incorporated into lessons to provide a rich contextual understanding. This builds on what children already know by using well selected narratives and examples to make abstract ideas meaningful and ensures a broader understanding of topics. Adaptations are made by teachers to ensure SEND children can access the learning, this is monitored by subject leaders and the SENDCo.

History in school starts in the Foundation Stage, where our children focus on the Early Learning Goal (ELG) of past and present. From here, children will start to explore history by studying three key threads: technology, monarchy and settlements. When studying each topic, children build a wide understanding of the historical world around them, ensuring they leave school with a secure grasp of the history of their locality, Britain and worldwide, ready for further learning in secondary school. Teachers do not just focus around the three key threads but they must consider these within their sequence of learning. Teachers source high quality resources, along with enrichment opportunities which include residential visits, day visits and in school workshops. Technology use is carefully considered to enhance learning. High quality training and CPD for staff is sourced by the history subject leader.

Formative assessment in History is carried out within every lesson and specific, high quality instruction and feedback is given to children in order to develop their skills to systematically check and secure understanding. Explicit teaching and modelling develops children’s historical enquiry skills and is woven into every lesson. Summative assessment includes a thorough audit of a child’s prior skills and knowledge and teachers consequently plan their future units considering these findings. Revisiting concepts regularly ensures that children develop secure knowledge of the intended curriculum.

Impact

• Children learn and remember well sequenced historical knowledge and can apply it to future study.
• Children know of the relevance and history of their locality.Children will have developed a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods.
• Can note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms.
• Children understand the significance and impact of political, social, economic and cultural history.
• Children feel secure and confident in completing their own historical enquiries.
• Children use ambitious vocabulary to help them to discuss, recall knowledge and understand history both locally and the wider world with a passion for finding out more.
• When encountering historical sources, children apply their contextual awareness of civilisations.
• Children can apply their chronological awareness to historical literature.

Informed by Rich encounters with the past: history subject report- July 2023 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/subject-report-series-history/rich-encounters-with-the-past-history-subject-report

Below you can find the Long Term Plan for History in Frodsham Manor House.