History

The History Curriculum at Stoke-on-Tern.

Why is history important?

The study of history is a vital part of a well-rounded education. Studying history is a way of putting pieces of the past together to understand who we are today.

At Stoke-on-Tern, our history curriculum enables pupils to gain coherent knowledge and understanding of the history of Britain and the wider world; to pose perceptive questions; to think critically and to evaluate evidence. Through the study of history, pupils foster a curiosity about the world and how things have come to be as they are today. They are able to understand the complexities of people’s lives, the diversity between societies and the processes of change.

Teachers at Stoke-on-Tern follow the National Curriculum, set out in the Cornerstones curriculum, to delivery history, supplementing and making adaptions to this where appropriate. Within this curriculum, projects are well sequenced to provide a coherent subject scheme that develops children’s historical knowledge, skills and subject disciplines. Key aspects and concepts, such as chronology, cause and effect, similarity and difference, significance and hierarchy, are revisited throughout all the projects and are developed over time. All projects also develop historical skills based on evidence and historical enquiry.

The choice of historical periods follows the guidance set out in the national curriculum, with specific details relating to significant events and individuals chosen to present a rich and diverse account of British and world history. Where there are opportunities for making meaningful connections with other projects, history projects are sequenced accordingly. For example, the project Dynamic Dynasties is taught alongside the art and design project Taotie to give children a better all-round understanding of ancient Chinese arts and culture.

All history projects are taught in the autumn and summer terms, with opportunities for children to revisit historical concepts in some of the spring term geography projects.

History in EYFS

By the time children join Reception, they are increasingly aware of the changes in routines during different times of the day and seasons of the year. They recognise that these changes in times have an impact on what activities they can do (sleep, eat, play etc.,) as well as what they wear and what they celebrate. In this way, our very youngest pupils are introduced to chronological knowledge and understanding.

During their time in Reception, pupils are introduced to substantive historical concepts through stories, high-quality dialogue and the driver projects in our Cornerstones curriculum. The complexity of pupils’ understanding of these concepts is developed as they progress through the school.

History in Key Stage 1

In Key Stage 1, children study a variety of history projects, such as ‘Childhood’. The projects studied in Key Stage 1 provide numerous opportunities for children to explore significant historical events, people and places in their locality.

During their time in Key Stage 1, pupils extend their chronological knowledge further by developing a greater awareness of the past and learning about significant people and events beyond their own lives and experiences. As they progress through the Key Stage 1 curriculum, pupils learn where events and the people they have studied fit into a chronological framework and they learn to identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods.

At Stoke-on-Tern, historical enquiry takes high priority and pupils both answer and ask questions about history. When answering historical questions, pupils choose and use parts of stories, and other sources, to demonstrate that they know and understand the key features of events. When talking about history, pupils learn to use a wider range of common words, phrases and historical terms.

Pupils’ knowledge of substantive historical concepts which were introduced in Reception is further developed through the Cornerstones projects: Movers and Shakers; Magnificent Monarchs; Through the Ages and Emperors and Empires.

Key Stage 2

Throughout Key Stage 2, pupils at Stoke-on-Tern continue to develop their chronological knowledge and their understanding of British and world history. Pupils learn to make connections, to notice contrasts and trends over time and they learn how to use an increasingly wide range of appropriate historical terms to discuss these. Pupils understand that our knowledge of history is constructed from evidence obtained from a range of sources and that these sources can be subject to different interpretations. Pupils continue to develop their understanding of historical enquiry whilst posing historically valid questions.

The study of history at Stoke-on-Tern takes the form of both depth and overview studies, which enable the pupils to understand historical events over an expanse of time and to understand the complexities of specific time periods. During Key Stage 2, the pupils study invasion history, ancient civilisations, dynamic dynasties, ground breaking Greeks, civil rights and Britain at war. Throughout the Cornerstones history scheme, there is complete coverage of all national curriculum programmes of study.

Assessing history at Stoke-on-Tern.

Assessment of history at Stoke-on-Tern is very much an integral part of the teaching cycle. Long term plans identify what pupils should know at the end of each unit of work and teachers can assess this knowledge in a variety of ways: quizzes, final pieces of work, presentations and so on.

Each term, our history curriculum lead meets with a sample of pupils from across the school to discuss their work to gain a clear picture of how well learning is being embedded. The subject leader will also meet with teachers and look at samples of pupils’ work. In this way, the impact of history teaching and learning is both assessed and moderated.

History Curriculum.

Please click below to view an overview of Stoke-on-Tern’s history curriculum:

History whole school overview

Progression in History at Stoke-on-Tern School.

Assessment in history is an integral part of the teaching cycle. Combining teacher assessment and Cornerstones’ online tracking system, teachers are able to assess, monitor, track and report pupils’ development of historical knowledge and skills from nursery to Year 6, and use this information to inform future teaching.

Preparing for the next stage – KS3 History

 

“Study the past if you would define the future.”
Confucius