History

The History Coordinator is Miss Hallwood.

"We learn history to understand the past and how it helps us make better choices today."

Intent

Our teaching of history aims to develop the historical understanding of each unique child at Kirk Smeaton CE Primary School, no matter their strengths and weaknesses. The skills and knowledge outlined in the national curriculum are built upon across each year group, through ambitious and carefully sequenced lessons and enrichments. Our children learn about significant aspects of history in their local area of Kirk Smeaton and the wider world.

We aim to expose children to an engaging curriculum which will make them curious as well as informed about the past. Children will learn to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, scrutinise arguments, and develop perspectives, providing our children with the tools to shine in their everyday life. We believe it is important for children to develop an understanding of the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as a sense of self identity through learning how history has shaped their own lives.

Implementation

In order for children to know more and remember more in each area of history studied, there should be a structure to 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 plans and resources 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 displayed to ensure that children are allowed opportunities to repeat and revise this knowledge. Accurate historical subject knowledge are always incorporated within lessons to allow the teacher and adults working in those lessons to feel confident and supported with the historical skills and knowledge that they are teaching. We intend to inspire pupils and practitioners to develop a love of history and see how it has shaped the world they live in.

Impact

The impact of providing high quality lessons and activities will be seen across the school with an increase in the profile of history. The learning environment across the school will be more consistent with historical technical vocabulary displayed, spoken and used by all learners. We want to ensure that history is loved by teachers and pupils across school, therefore encouraging them to want to continue building on a wealth of historical knowledge and understanding, now and in the future. Impact can also be measured through key questioning skills built into lessons, child-led assessment such as success criteria grids, AFL strategies and summative assessments aimed at targeting next steps in learning.

Please see the vocabulary overview

Please see the whole school overview

Please see the progression of skills

Please see the History policy