History

Learning & Support

HISTORY 

INTENT:

 At All Saints, by nurturing hearts and inspiring minds, we encourage all pupils to shine in everything they do in history.

At All Saints, we aim for a high quality history curriculum which should nurture hearts and inspire minds in pupils with a curiosity and fascination about the Britain’s past and that of the wider world. Our teaching equips pupils with knowledge about the history of Britain and how it has influenced and been influenced by the wider world; know and understand about significant aspects of the history of the wider world like ancient civilisations and empires; changes in living memory and beyond living memory; learn about the lives of significant people of the past; understand the methods of historical enquiry and be able to ask and answer questions. We want children to enjoy and love learning about history by gaining this knowledge and skills, not just through experiences in the classroom, but also with the use of fieldwork and educational visits.

 

IMPLEMENTATION:

  

In order to meet the aims of the National curriculum for History and in response to the Ofsted Research review

into History, we have identified the following key strands:

 Substantive Knowledge:

  • Topical Knowledge
  • Chronological Knowledge
  • Substantive Concepts
Disciplinary Strands:
  • Historical Enquiry
  • Disciplinary Concepts

 This scheme emphasises the importance of historical knowledge being shaped by disciplinary approaches, as shown in the diagram above. These strands are interwoven through all our History units to create engaging and enriching learning experiences which allow the children to investigate history as historians do. Each six-lesson unit has a focus on chronology to allow children to explore the place in time of the period they are studying and make comparisons in other parts of the world. Children will develop their awareness of the past in Key stage 1 and will know where people and events fit chronologically. This will support children in building a ‘mental timeline’ they can refer to throughout their learning in Key stage 2 and identifying connections, contrasts and trends over time. A timeline supports children in developing this chronological awareness.

Units are organised around an enquiry-based question and children are encouraged to follow the enquiry cycle (Question, Investigate, Interpret, Evaluate and conclude, Communicate) when answering historical questions.

Over the course of the scheme, children develop their understanding of the following key disciplinary concepts:

• Change and continuity.

• Cause and consequence.

• Similarities and differences.

• Historical significance.

• Historical interpretations.

• Sources of evidence.

These concepts will be encountered in different contexts during the study of local, British and world history. Accordingly, children will have varied opportunities to learn how historians use these skills to analyse the past and make judgements. They will confidently develop and use their own historical skill set. As children progress through the Kapow scheme, they will create their own historical enquiries to study using sources and the skills they have developed.

Substantive concepts such as power, trade, invasion and settlement, are introduced in Key stage 1, clearly identified in Lower key stage 2 and revisited in Upper key stage 2 (see Progression of skills and knowledge) allowing knowledge of these key concepts to grow. These concepts are returned to in different contexts, meaning that pupils begin to develop an understanding of these abstract themes which are crucial to their future learning in History.

This scheme follows the spiral curriculum model where previous skills and knowledge are returned to and built upon. For example, children progress by developing their knowledge and understanding of substantive and disciplinary concepts by experiencing them in a range of historical contexts and periods.

 

IMPACT: 

 Pupils should leave school equipped with a range of skills to enable them to succeed in their secondary education. They will be enquiring learners who ask questions and can make suggestions about where to find the evidence to answer the question. They will be critical and analytical thinkers who are able to make informed and balanced judgements based on their knowledge of the past.

 The expected impact of the History scheme of work is that children will:

 ● Know and understand the history of Britain, how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world.

● Develop an understanding of the history of the wider world, including ancient civilisations, empires, non-European societies and the achievements of mankind.

● Develop a historically-grounded understanding of substantive concepts - power, invasion, settlement and migration, civilisation, religion, trade, achievements of mankind and society.

● Form historical arguments based on cause and effect, consequence, continuity and change, similarity and differences.

● Have an appreciation for significant individuals, inventions and events that impact our world both in history and from the present day.

● Understand how historians learn about the past and construct accounts.

● Ask historically-valid questions through an enquiry-based approach to learning to create structured accounts.

● Explain how and why interpretations of the past have been constructed using evidence.

● Make connections between historical concepts and timescales.

● Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National curriculum for History.

 Pupils are assessed against national curriculum objectives every half term. This is monitored by the subject leader, the senior leadership and the School Development Group.

 

 SMSC

Spiritual:   Explore beliefs and experience; respect faiths, feelings and values; enjoy learning about oneself, others and the surrounding world; use imagination and creativity; reflect. Emphasise our school’s close links to our local churches and our wider community. 

Moral:   Recognise right and wrong; respect the law; understand consequences; investigate moral and ethical issues; offer reasoned views.

Social:   Use a range of social skills; participate in the local community; appreciate diverse viewpoints; participate, volunteer and cooperate; resolve conflict; engage with the 'British values' of democracy, the rule of law, liberty, respect and tolerance.

Cultural:   Appreciate cultural influences; appreciate the role of Britain's parliamentary system; participate in culture opportunities; understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity.

 

BRITISH VALUES

The core British Values are:

  • Democracy
  • Rule of Law
  • Mutual Respect
  • Individual Liberty
  • Tolerance

The teaching of history offers an unique opportunity to: investigate some of the origins of these values; look at periods in history when these values have been demonstrated and upheld; look at civilisations / times where these values were not at the centre of their ways of lives and to analyse events in UK and world history where British values have been tested (such as both World Wars).