St Ann's CofE Primary School

Intent

The aims of our History Curriculum are:

• To develop children’s knowledge, experiences and understanding of history, inspiring and igniting their curiosity about the wider world and their understanding of how society has developed
• To give children a chance to explore rich vocabulary and a wide range of sources from which the past may come alive; to have opportunities to become detectives and investigate various sources of evidence, which enable them to compare, contrast and examine why things have changed over time. 
• For pupils to have opportunities to be enquiring thinkers understanding cause and effect and making links between past and modern times including studying ancient civilisations, the expansion and dissolution of empires and the characteristic features of past non-European societies.
• To provide the opportunity to develop their knowledge and an understanding of the history of the British Isles as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day, to help them to consider how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world. 
• To celebrate and welcome differences within our diverse multi-cultural curriculum while embedding the three Christian values of hope for a positive future, respect for difference and perseverance for an intrinsic love of learning to help drive this curriculum forward.  

 We want our children to –  

• Gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world, helping to stimulate pupils’ curiosity to want to know more about the past.  

• Be encouraged to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. 

• Begin to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups. 

• To understand and develop their own identity and face the challenges of their time.  

• To create learners who are curious, fascinated, and passionate about history and who have a developing knowledge of chronology in order to help them organise their past. 

Implementation

History is an enquiry-based subject which is taught weekly, covering one unit per term. Each unit lasts for a minimum of a half term. A unit of History begins with a hook lesson to engage the children where the overarching question is posed. Each lesson within the unit will begin with a sub enquiry question which children return to. Within a learning sequence, each lesson builds on knowledge that children will learn in order to answer the overarching enquiry question at the end of the unit. A sense of chronology is developed throughout their school journey. In EYFS, chronology is developed though discussion of the daily routine e.g. morning, afternoon etc. In KS1 the children begin developing a sense of chronology building upon the learning in EYFS, building their understanding of a larger period of time. From KS2, the units of History are taught chronologically. The history curriculum is planned to ensure children are gaining historical knowledge, disciplinary knowledge, vocabulary and have an understanding of the historical concepts that run through each unit. Units of work have been developed with the use of Key Stage History as a supplement.