History Statement of Intent 

Intent

At Crook Primary School, the intent of our history curriculum is to give our children a context of the world around them through a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain's past and that of the wider world. 

Children must develop a secure understanding of the chronology of British history as well as aspects of European and world history. In order for children to understand the importance of history and the impact on today we will examine the key themes of power and legacy within each unit of work. 

Our history curriculum will equip children with critical thinking skills giving them the ability to analyse information, develop perspective and judgement and provide educated opinions around significant periods of time, events and people. It will inspire children’s curiosity to know more about the past. In addition, a knowledge of history will help children understand how societies have evolved over time, will give children an understanding of the complexities of their own and others lives, the process of change and the challenges of current events. 

Implementation

Our history curriculum is designed so that our youngest children develop a solid foundation in the key concepts of:

• Past and present
• Passage and changes over time
• Significant historical people and events
• An understanding of democracy

In this way children will have the foundations of key concepts to understand the notion of power and legacy as they move through KS2. 

In KS2, children will learn British, European and world history. Although all units are stand alone and whenever possible taught in chronological order, children will be taught where each unit is in the timeline for history and how it links to other periods of history already taught and to be taught.

History will be taught across the school in a two week block each term so that children can spend time making connections with what has gone before and is coming after. Children will focus in depth on a particular period of history studying method of historical enquiry and historical concepts  to gain an historically grounded understanding.

Each unit of work will develop the following skills:

• Chronological understanding within a chronological narrative from the earliest times to present day
• Historically grounded knowledge an understanding of events, people and changes in the past
• Historical perspectives, understanding connections between local, regional, national and international history as well as cultural, social, economic, political history to support their developing understanding of the themes of power and legacy.

History will be taught in a subject specific book with each unit of work beginning with sticky knowledge which will be shared with the children so they can use it as a point of reference in supporting long term memory retention and recall. As part of the sticky knowledge children will learn subject specific vocabulary. Children will have a timeline in the front of their book to support development of chronology and the chronological narrative of periods history over time. The learning of vocabulary should be supported through reading as a “Historian” within each unit of work. High quality, up-to-date texts should be used to inspire and provide information around each unit. 

Impact

Children will become increasingly critical and analytical within their thinking and will be able to make informed and balanced judgements based on their knowledge of the past. They will become increasingly aware of how historical events have shaped the world in which they live with particular reference to their own area and context.

The impact of our history curriculum is measured through the following methods:

• Ongoing formative assessment in which pupils are guided to meaningfully reflect about their own development of particular historical concepts..
• Summative assessment of pupils developing knowledge and understanding of key historical concepts at a moment in time focusing on their developing skills in:
• Explaining continuity and change between and over periods of time  
• Writing narratives and analysing historical events, places and people 
•  Asking historically valid questions
• Drawing contrasts and making connections
• Identifying cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance  
• Discussions with pupils about their learning and enjoyment of their lessons (pupil voice).
• Moderation staff meetings where pupil’s history books are scrutinised in order to encourage meaningful and reflective dialogue between teaching staff, ensuring progression of skills, themes and knowledge
• Assessment of pupils’ progression of skills throughout a unit of work which teaching staff use to inform further planning and delivery of history

Children will be summatively assessed at the end of each year and be deemed to be working at either age related expectations or not. Staff will use a range of formative in class assessment strategies to ensure that children can recall key knowledge.

Additional Information