History
Intent
At the Bedonwell Federation, we strive to provide a high quality, well-structured and, most importantly, enthralling History education that will help children gain knowledge and understanding of both Britain’s past and that of the wider world including non-European countries. We believe that children should be inspired to learn about real people who lived, and real events which happened in the past and to consider how the past has influenced the present. Thus, helping to form them into well-rounded people with a breadth of interests and the ability to make sense of the world in which they live. Over time the children will develop a chronological framework for their knowledge of significant events and people. We see History as an opportunity to develop skills of enquiry, questioning, analysis and problem solving which enables the pupils to become open minded “historical detectives” and explore the past in engaging ways.
Our History curriculum gives children the opportunity to question the mistakes that have come before them, as well as reflecting on the numerous successes, allowing them to develop their sense of curiosity whilst thinking critically and gaining historical perspective. Crucially, History should be fun and engaging by allowing children to experience elements of the topics they study through practical lessons, history-themed days, school trips and independent research.
Implementation
The Early Years Foundation Stage
History is taught in Reception as an integral part of the topic work through child-initiated and adult led activities. The children are given the opportunity to find out about past and present events in their own lives, and those of their families and other people they know. In the Foundation Stage, History makes a significant contribution to developing a child’s understanding of the world through activities such as looking at pictures of famous people in history or discovering the meaning of new and old in relation to their own lives.
Key Stage One
In Key Stage One, children experience History through a series of units of work which are planned to meet the National Curriculum requirements. Our long-term plan maps out the skills and themes covered each term for Year One and Two and ensures a good subject content. The units focus on past events, famous people of the past and the children’s own lives. Links to local History are also included within each unit where possible. Although the units are not taught chronologically in KS1, the use of timelines and reference to chronological order is embedded within each unit. Within the key stage History is taught as a separate subject, however cross-curricular links are made where appropriate and used to further enhance the pupils' learning. The use of artefacts, stories, photographs, visitors and external trips is also an integral part of the History curriculum at KS1. The planning also includes historical terms to be taught.
Children across EYFS and Key Stage One also experience History through focus days and the commemoration of nationally and internationally significant events, such as Black History Day and Remembrance Day.
Key Stage Two
At our school the units of work are planned to fit with ‘National Curriculum’ criteria. The topics planned in History are aimed so each unit of work in the various year groups build upon prior learning and are structured in sequential order to aid children’s chronological understanding. Pupils of all abilities have the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge in each unit and, through planned progression built into the plans, we offer them an increasing challenge as they move up the school.
History is mainly taught as a separate subject or sometimes through cross-curricular lessons, where this is appropriate. The work develops a range of study skills, allowing children to take control of their own learning. Thus, information handling skills including the use of a wide range of source materials are explicitly taught; resources are made readily available and accessible; pupils are encouraged to communicate their finding to others using a variety of methods including written or verbal reports, use of graphs or pictures and ICT.
Each lesson has a clear learning intention to help pupils to achieve good results. A variety of teaching and learning styles are used in our History lessons. Pupils work in a range of groupings, independently and alongside others, including working with visitors to the school. We believe in whole class interactive teaching methods and we combine these with enquiry and thinking skills-based research activities. We encourage all pupils to ask, as well as answer, historical questions. We offer them the opportunity to use a variety sources and artefacts. As well as inviting visitors into the school to give pupils first hand experiences and appreciation of how the past is linked with the present.
Impact
Teachers assess pupil's work in History by making assesments as they observe them working during lessons. They record the progress that children make by assesseing the children's work against the leanring objectoves from their lesson. The History subject leader will monitor teachers planning and pupil's work samples.
Staff in EYFS assess children's progress against the Development Matters (DM) statements for each of the 7 areas. At the end of the Reception year, teachers assess pupils against the Early Learning Goals and complete the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP).
The Profile provides parents and carers, practitioners and teachers with a well-rounded picture of a child's knowledge, understanding and abilities, their attainment against expected levels, and their readiness for year 1. Year 1 teachers are provided with a copy of the profile report to inform their transition into Key Stage 1.