Intent

What are our aims?

Crowland Primary School develops the History Curriculum through expanding children’s knowledge of historical periods, events and significant individuals. Children are given a range of opportunities to progress their chronological understanding, discuss strategies to analyse and evaluate historical evidence, whilst also developing their ability to compare and contrast life in different periods. At Crowland, we look closely at the following:

Time, change, chronology - provide a curriculum that enables children to build a sense of period and time - the sequence of when things happened.

Reasons and results - children should know and be able to explain why things happened in history and answer enquiry questions.

Interpretations - children should appreciate how and why the way history differs and how we show it.

Historical evidence - children should know what we use to find out about the past- how can we use this material safely to produce the best history we can?

Significance/relevance - children should understand the significance of historical periods and the effects of the past in today’s society.

Implementation

How will we achieve our aims?

At Crowland, History is currently taught by class teachers on a weekly or fortnight basis. Below are some of the things we have done to aid the implementation of the curriculum in school.


Scheme of work

A long-term plan was drafted after carefully analysing the school demography using key data from the school office. From here, some units were selected to reflect the school’s diversity. For example, we have now incorporated ‘Early Islamic civilisation’, ‘Benin’ & ‘Maya’ to make sure that children understand their history in the wider global context.

Ideas for medium term plans and schemes of work are drawn from https://www.keystagehistory.co.uk/keystage-2/. This decision was made after an extensive research into the teaching of history in primary schools. These schemes are adapted to include our key drivers. 

History units are well-resourced to give hands-on experiences.


Teacher CPD

The subject leader attends courses and CPD and will update the teachers and staff about recent and on-going changes.

 

History and our Key Drivers


Active Learning:

  • High quality lesson plans with progression and differentiation
  • Children’s learning is enriched with school visits and visitors. For example, Year 3 visit Celtic Harmony when studying Stone Age to Iron Age, Year 1s visit aspects of the local area to supplement their understanding of significant people locally, Year 2 organise a talk from the local MP, David Lammy as a significant person, and Year 5 organise a Viking workshop when studying the Vikings.


Excellent Communication:

  • Using high level vocabulary to engage in lessons modelled by teachers and recapping previous learning through retrieval practise.
  • Positive language used by adults around skill sets being taught through knowledge organisers.
  • The use of pre and post learning at the beginning and end of each unit /activity will help children to reflect, discuss and assess their own learning, focusing on what they did well and what they need to improve in order to progress further.


Taking Care of Self and Others:

  • Children are educated as to why it is important to study a wide range of periods and how it relates to them as an individual
  • Development of self-confidence through participation and positive encouragement by others.

Global Awareness and Responsibility:

  • Understanding why it is important to be physically active.
  • Know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution of empires; characteristic features of past non-European societies; achievements and follies of mankind
  • Awareness of historic events, global and local. How history bring people / nations together?

Impact

How will impact be measured?


Measuring impact in History will be done through staff and pupil questionnaires, assessments, observations of pupils and work scrutiny.

  • 4 Key Drivers evident in books (particular attention to active learning and excellent communication)
  • Knowledge organisers with questions
  • Checkpoints pre- and post-learning
  • Use of primary and secondary sources to spark discussion
  • Retrieval practise to bring back prior learning
  • Cross-curricular learning as much as possible