History

Curriculum - Implementation 

How do we translate our vision into practice?

• History will be taught through investigation and enquiry using big questions as a starting point. Children will develop an understanding of how History has had an impact on our lives today both locally, nationally and internationally.
• Children will be encouraged to be independent and critical thinkers, fostering an understanding of ‘why’ as well as ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘when’ and ‘where’.
• The curriculum provides a rich variety of topics that cover local and global civilisations before 1066. Each topic has an overarching question which they refer to at the beginning, throughout and at the end of each unit to see how different events and actions can accumulate to build a deeper understanding of a historical period.
• Each topic sequence will end with a written piece of work as assessment to evaluate the impact of learning and knowledge retained.
• The key historical skills (set out in the National curriculum) underpin the planning, teaching and learning of History at St Catherine`s. Key knowledge based skills which we aim for the pupils at St Catherine`s to develop are; analysing and debating the reliability of sources, making comparisons between historical periods, devising historically valid questions, drawing conclusions from sources and making links between events. By focusing on these knowledge based skills we aim for the pupils at St Catherine`s to become inquisitive, enquiring and informed Historians.
• Each unit includes opportunities for children to investigate, handle artefacts, pictorial evidence, watch historical footage, take part in role play activities, visit relevant sites and museums and where appropriate, experience oral history, engaging with historical characters and ways of life.
• Lessons will be planned so that there is time for discussion and debate, fostering an environment of enquiry which enables children to revise and justify their opinions as well as encouraging children to ask as well as answer questions about history.
• Children will also be taught historical facts and be encouraged to gain a factual base of historical knowledge, they will be encouraged to remember for example key dates and events in British and World History and the names and impact of important historical figures
• Cross curricular links, particularly with Geography, Art and English will be evident. Children will consolidate writing skills and reapply them in an alternative and more independent context, this type of activity may for example allow the children to put themselves in the shoes of the historical characters they are learning about and approach their learning from a different perspective.
•  Visits within History will enrich the lives of the children and they are able to discuss how the experience impacted their knowledge and understanding.
• Children will gain a good understanding of historical terms and be able to use these both orally and in their written work.
• The learning taking place in each class in History will be evident though engaging and interactive classroom displays, and time lines will be on display in each class throughout the year and will be refereed to during each unit of work taught.

 Impact

What is the impact of our curriculum on the students?

• Children are enthused about their History learning and are keen to extend this learning beyond the classroom.
• Children experience a wide-ranging number of learning challenges and develop the skills to be independent and critical thinkers.
• By the end of their primary education, children will have a chronological understanding of key invasion, civilisation and settlement time periods in History up until 1066.
• Children will be able to draw comparisons and make connections between different time periods and their own lives.
• Children of all abilities and backgrounds achieve well in History. Children talk enthusiastically about their learning in History and are eager to further their learning in the next stages of their education.
• Fundamental British Values are evident in History and children understand how History can celebrate difference.