History
Intent
At St. Sebastian’s Roman Catholic Primary School, we believe our children are entitled to develop their curiosity and enthusiasm about the past. Our History curriculum engages pupils in investigating and enquiring into people and events in the past. Through their understanding of the past, our children will become resilient, empathetic, tolerant and accepting of others. This will ensure they adapt and thrive as they grow. They will be better prepared to embrace the ever-changing world around them. We have carefully chosen the substantive core concepts to develop our children and reflect the diversity of the pupils.
Significant people and their impact - Throughout the History curriculum we draw children’s attention to people’s resilience and how that has had an impact on their lives and the lives of others. The children will study people who are important to society or who have contributed to society. This is introduced in the Early Years setting as the children identify the significance of people in their families and historically e.g. Florence Nightingale. In Key Stage 1, the children explore a variety of historical figures: Mary Seacole, LS Lowry, Rosa Parks. This continues in Key Stage 2 as the children explore significant people and societies such as in the Romans: Boudicca; the children study significant people in the Vikings, the Kingdom of Benin, Ancient Egyptians and in World War 2.
Equality – History is littered with inequality and we believe it is important that our children recognise this. The children will study historical inequality and its affect on changes in society throughout different eras. This will help the children to assess the impact of new laws and societal behaviours and consider how inequality is present in society today. Through our History curriculum children will come to understand the complexity of people's lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as the child's own identity and challenges of their time. Through the History curriculum the children are exposed to a diverse range of civilisations. We believe this is key to expanding their understanding of the world. This broad study enables children to make effective comparisons between the civilisations they study, as they move through the school, they will gain a greater understanding of how different people have lived during history. The children are able to evaluate what makes a civilisation successful by drawing on their knowledge of the civilisations they have studied. Furthermore, they can link this to their own civilisation, in order to assess how they can make their world a better place.
Empire- Empire is an extremely important concept because it is integral to British and world history. Empire is an abstract idea and hard to comprehend. Therefore, we introduce this concept slowly and carefully. In KS1, we begin by identifying the British monarchy and what it means to be a ruler of one country. In KS2, we begin to explore why and how countries, civilisations and rulers have felt the need to expand their empires and the impact of this. Furthermore, as the children progress through the school they begin to develop their understanding of empire and are able to apply it to the historical periods that they are studying.
Trade – Throughout history trade has affected the socio-economic dynamics of society. The consequences have impacted on civilisations, empires and equality.
Lifelong learners- Our exciting History curriculum will develop a thirst for learning and comprehensive knowledge in our children, which they can develop through the skills acquired at St. Sebastian’s. The curriculum is enhanced with outside expert visitors, educational trips and hands on resources and artefacts. The high quality History education supports our pupils in gaining a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain's past, the local history and that of the wider world. We want our pupils to not only gain a deeper knowledge of the past, but also to develop their historical skills, being able to justify their views and make reasoned judgments.
Enquiry based learning curriculum
At St. Sebastian’s, each unit is an enquiry. This enquiry-based approach gives our children ownership of their learning and encourages them to be investigators, gaining knowledge for themselves and developing their thinking skills
The History curriculum is planned to ensure full coverage of the National Curriculum, making use of our own local heritage. Through the organisation of the units there is also cohesion between Phases, allowing the children to develop their substantive and disciplinary knowledge and apply it further, or to make comparisons between two different periods/places/civilization’s. Progression is seen through the disciplinary concepts and through the development of the following substantive concepts: significant people and their impact, empire, trade and equality.
When studying a historical period, event or individual pupils will demonstrate their curiosity by asking thoughtful historical questions. They will grow in knowledge as they use and analyse a range of historical sources. They will be open-minded as they view historical events from different perspectives.
The history curriculum strongly supports many of our core values, and Gospel Values encouraging the children to become: enquirers, communicators, knowledgeable, responsible, reflective, determined, confident, future leaders, curious, independent, resilient respectful, tolerant, empathetic and adaptable.
Implementation
Each lesson will have a key mastery question or historical claim (linked as below) to investigate in the lesson. The relationship between ‘substantive’ and ‘disciplinary’ knowledge has been meaningfully synchronised into each unit of study, through careful curriculum design. It is cohesively delivered in each lesson so pupils have repeated encounters with a wide range of important concepts in a number of different contexts.
Success Criteria is linked to the lesson question or claim; the key knowledge and reference to the sources used in the investigation. Historical knowledge and historical analysis are taught simultaneously. For example, ‘What other ways could we find out what happened during the fire?’ Pupil responses will be supported by reference to the historical skill of using sources - information gained from eyewitness statements (Pepys’ diary) analysed during the lesson, information from encyclopaedias and online research.
Through staff development and training, Teachers ensure they are aware how the unit of study they are teaching deepens and broadens an overview of the substantive concepts of empire, equality, trade and people of significance for future development.
History Approach: Chronology, substantive concepts, disciplinary and enquiry skills should run throughout the sessions (refer to overview of substantive and disciplinary progression document).
Lessons and evidence in books should reflect the key questions:
- Initial Assessment, mid and end of topic assessment (this may be on the working wall)
Initial assessments measure prior knowledge and may or may not be recorded in books. These could be a mind map/thought shower, key facts, or key questions, multiple choice, true or false statements directed to topic to identify misconceptions and generate or modify teaching points. Mid and end topic assessments should require children to demonstrate mastery and understanding of substantive and disciplinary concepts, of the current historical enquiries and previous year groups topics. This could be through the use of a previous artefacts, source or statement.
- Historical significance/Chronology
This sets the context – establishing a timeline within history to include present day to help children understand the concept of time and link to previous history studies. (Refer to the progression in skills for chronology).
- Sources and evidence
This refers to pre-conceived ideas gathered initially. Sources and evidence inspire pupils’ curiosity and prompt them to think critically about images, information, myths, common perceptions, stereotypical features and draw conclusions from what they have discovered.
- Similarities and differences
Pupils study in depth, the characteristics, life and achievements of a society and their influence on the western world. Pupils explore their diversity and complexity - the roles of men and women, people’s lives and relationships between different groups and/or key people. Pupils explore similarities and differences between past and present and draw conclusions about the impact on today and the legacy: achievement and follies of humankind.
- Causes and Consequences
Pupils investigate significant events and turning points, causes and consequences. They explore the expansion and dissolution of empires; create more detailed timelines of events and periods of time; gain historical perspective between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history, e.g. how wealthy people could pay to evacuate during the fire of London; social hierarchy in Ancient Rome; opportunities for boys vs.girls in Ancient Greece; oppression and discrimination vs. power e.g. Suffragettes, Rosa Parkes.
- Change and continuity
Ppupils study continuity and change over time during a period including short and long-term timescales, e.g. immediate impact of the fire of London on people’s lives and the longer-term consequences such as change in building regulations. Pupils study how Britain has evolved over time; note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms. Pupils explore change in cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social attitudes over time. Pupils study how settlement has shaped Britain and continues to evolve and how aspects are reflected in our locality.
- Historical interpretation
Do we have a greater understanding of abstract terms, such as civilization, peasantry? How has this society and people’s lives shaped our nation? How has it affected our own identity and equipped us to face challenges of our time? What have I learned about their culture, achievements, follies, characteristics? How has Britain influenced and been influenced by the wider world? (E.g. manufacturing, craft, industry, trade links, language).
Each topic should include evidence of
- Informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information, gathered from a range of sources as part of the investigation. Conclusions should be drawn and evidenced.
- Historically valid questions. Pupils’ own structured accounts, including written narratives and analyses.
- Weighing up of evidence, sifting arguments and thinking critically, developing perspective and judgement, discerning how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed.
- By the end of the topic, children should be aware of the key characteristics and features of the society or person studied and their impact on Britain. They should have completed a sustained piece of writing where appropriate, g. brochure, booklet, news report, chronological/non-chronoogical report, letter and could present learning in a different format, e.g. PowerPoint, 3D model, speech, interview, drama., assembly, music.
- A 10-minute Round Robin will be used for pupil self-assessment at the end of the topic to assess their knowledge, skills and vocabulary. As part of their self-assessment, pupils should discuss the topic using year group success criteria and incorporating talk prompts as necessary.
- Working walls should reflect the journey of the topic and answer the key questions. Exemplary pieces of work should be included to use as WAGOLLS in future years.
SMSC Links:
Spiritual: Encouraging children to recognise the history of our society and where they live can help children to appreciate the sacrifices and challenges that previous generations faced and how their actions brought about social change – for example slavery, poverty, the poor laws, war and nursing. Learning about these impacts, show the children that the actions of many or of a single person can bring about significant change for the wider good.
Moral: By helping pupils to reflect on moral issues, we encourage the children to comment on moral questions and dilemmas. We encourage the children to develop the ability to empathise with the decisions which ordinary people made at the time, based on their historical situation and highlight the impact of historical inequalities, discrimination, poverty and health. This awareness can help pupils make responsible choices in the future.
Social: Social education in History encourages the children to think about what past societies have contributed to our society today. Giving children opportunities to study and understand the long arc of the process of change, and understanding chronology, means that they can appreciate how societies have been shaped over time. The children engage in informed discussions and we encourage their own social development through working together, communicating clearly and problem solving.
Cultural: By researching culture and power over time, the children have a better awareness of the role of democracy, law, social class and the impact these have had on our social structure. This has helped the children to develop more tolerance and understanding towards people of diverse communities. Through cultural awareness, the children develop a better understanding of our multicultural society and study the links between local, British, European and world history.
Impact
At the end of year, we make a summative judgement about the achievement of each pupil against the subject substantive and disciplinary core concepts criteria for history in that year. At this point teachers decide upon a ‘best fit’ judgement as to whether the pupil has achieved and embedded the expected learning objectives or is still working towards these objectives. These decisions are based on the professional knowledge and judgement that teachers possess about the progress of each pupil, developed over the previous three terms, which allows an informed and holistic judgement of attainment to be made. Achievement against the learning objectives for history at the end of the year is used as the basis of reporting progress to parents.
Outcomes in books, evidence a broad and balanced history curriculum and demonstrate children’s acquisition of identified key knowledge.
As children progress throughout the school, they develop a deep knowledge, understanding and appreciation of our society and its place within the wider historical context. Regular school trips provide further relevant and contextual learning.
Through our cohesive curriculum of substantive and disciplinary concepts, the children are motivated to ask questions about the world in which they live and through trips, activities and visitors to school, they gain historical knowledge. Through progressive chronological work, they learn how different social issues are linked to each other and by investigating artefacts and source evidence, the children are encouraged to independently investigate and appreciate the process of change.
Assessment is developing through the use of the "interrupting the Forgetting" and pulling it together document to assess substantive and disciplinary concepts of all pupil groups e.g. SEND, EAL, PP. This will give teachers the ability to focus on key skills and knowledge to close the gaps in their classes, therefore, pupils have had focused learning in history. Pupil voice will develop children’s understanding of history and the wider world.
During the year, children take part in visits to historical sites, museum trips, visitors to school and use resources, such as artefacts, source evidence, old maps and records to support and enhance their learning. Our approach to history supports children from all pupil groups, and especially enables those with SEND to develop and remember their learning, giving them greater historical confidence.
Equality statement
The Governors and staff are committed to providing the full range of opportunities for all pupils, regardless of gender, disability, ethnicity, social, cultural or religious background. All pupils have access to the curriculum, and the right to a learning environment, which dispels ignorance, prejudice or stereotyping.
