Intent
In Stondon Lower School, our coverage of History offers a coherently planned sequence of lessons to ensure each year group has progressively covered the skills and concepts required in the National Curriculum. We aim to develop historical skills and concepts which are transferable to whatever period of history is being studied and will equip children for future learning. These key historical skills and concepts, which are revisited throughout different units, are: Historical Interpretations; Historical Investigations; Chronological Understanding; Knowledge and Understanding of Events, People and Changes in the Past; Presenting, Organising and Communicating.
The coverage of recent history in KS1 such as ‘Toys past and Present’ and ‘Travel and ’ The Great Fire Of London’ enables children to acquire an understanding of time, events and people in their memory and their parents’ and grandparents’ memories.
The intent in lower KS2 is that children can work in chronological order from ancient history such as ‘Stone Age’ and then progress onto more modern history such as ‘World War 2’’.
The coverage in KS2 of chronological order from ancient to modern allows for children to truly develop and embed a sense of time and how civilisations were interconnected. Children start to understand how some historical events occurred concurrently in different locations.
Implementation
In order for children to know more and remember more in each area of history studied, there is a structure to the lesson sequence whereby prior learning is always considered and opportunities for revision of facts and historical understanding are built into lessons. However, this is not to say that this structure should be followed rigidly: it allows for this revision to become part of good practice and ultimately helps build a depth to children’s historical understanding. Through revisiting and consolidating skills, our lesson help children build on prior knowledge alongside introducing new skills and challenge. The revision and introduction of key vocabulary is built into each lesson. This vocabulary is then included in display materials and additional resources to ensure that children are allowed opportunities to repeat and revise this knowledge.
Through these lessons, we intend to inspire pupils to develop a love of history and see how it has shaped the world they live in.
Impact
Through the high quality first teaching of History taking place we will see the impact of the subject in different ways.
Through pupil voice children will be able to talk about the skills and knowledge they have acquired. Children will be engaged in History lessons and want to find out more. Children will complete research independently through projects and homework and to further their own enjoyment about the subject or topic.
Work will show that a range of topics is being covered, cross curricular links are made where possible and differentiated work set as appropriate.
The school environment will be history rich through displays, resources, vocabulary etc.
As historians, children will learn lessons from history to influence the decisions they make in their lives in the future. Assessments and monitoring will show standards in History will be high and will match standards in other subject areas.