Intent

It is our intent to deliver a History curriculum and scheme of work with appropriate subject knowledge, skills and understanding as set out in the EYFS and National Curriculum History Programmes of study.

Topics are informed by the National Curriculum and are also sensitive to children’s interests, as well as the context of the local area.

It is also our intent to deliver a History curriculum which is accessible to all and that will maximise the outcomes for every child so that they know more, remember more and understand more. As a result of this every child at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School will;

• Have the opportunity to experience a range of learning opportunities which will allow them the opportunity to develop a love of learning of History
• Possess a secure understanding of the chronology of the British Isles and other important periods of History
• Discover links and connections to the History they learn and the wider community and locality
• Increase and develop their historical skills, concepts, knowledge and attitudes.
• Increase their understanding of the present in the context of the past.
• Develop and use their skills in enquiry, analysis, evaluation and argument.

Our History curriculum includes termly topics for all children from EYFS to Year 6. It is our intent that History teaching at Our Lady of Lourdes equips pupils with knowledge about;

• The history of Britain and how it has influenced and been influenced by the wider world
• Significant aspects of the history of the wider world like ancient civilisations and empires
• Changes in living memory and beyond living memory
• The lives of significant people of the past
• Methods of historical enquiry 
• How to ask and answer perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement History helps pupils to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups.

We want children to enjoy and love learning about History by gaining this knowledge and applying skills, not just through experiences in the classroom, but also through the use of educational visits and visitors. Where appropriate, History will be taught discretely as well as incorporated within other curriculum subjects such as English and Art.

It is our intent that teachers are confident in their historical knowledge in order to plan a high-quality curriculum. This will ensure both the depth of coverage and an understanding of content sequencing.  This is supported through the use of Plan Bee planning and a range of supporting resources.

Implementation

The curriculum is led and overseen by the Humanities Lead.

As History lead a regular programme of monitoring, evaluation and review and the celebration of good practice will contribute to the ongoing commitment to evolve and improve further. This is conducted through a whole staff curriculum review on a termly basis. The teaching, learning and sequencing of the History curriculum follows

 A blocked curriculum approach has been implemented to ensure coverage and progression in all knowledge and skills relating to History. Teachers have identified the key knowledge and skills of each topic and consideration has been given to ensure progression across topics throughout each key stage / mixed year group across the school.

In EYFS, teachers follow the ‘Development Matters in the EYFS’ guidance which aims for all children in Reception to have an ‘Understanding of the World; people and communities,’ by the end of the academic year.

In KS1, pupils will develop an awareness of the past, using common words and phrases relating to the passing of time. They will be taught where the people and events they study fit within a chronological framework and identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods. They will be taught to use a wide vocabulary of everyday historical terms. They will ask and answer questions, choosing and using parts of stories and other sources to show that they know and understand key features of events. They will be taught to understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented. The historical knowledge and skills will focus on the world around them and their living memory of History before moving to events that go beyond living history. This will ensure a firm foundation for KS2 History.

In KS2, the History curriculum is set out in chronological order within each year group to allow children’s knowledge to reference the previous events in time and to refer to this prior learning year-on-year and within the year. They will be taught to note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms. They will be taught to regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance. They will be taught how to construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information. They will be taught to understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.

Children throughout school will acquire their historical knowledge through a range of teaching strategies which include first hand experiences of artefacts, visits, visitors, photographs, the use of technology and information books. Lessons will develop long term memory by allowing for repetition of learning within the year and year on year. Historical vocabulary is taught within the historical unit and reinforced throughout the year. Knowledge organisers will collate and track the learning journey each child has taken at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary, which children can refer to, to connect previous and current learning from year 1 to year 6.

Impact

As a result of strong teacher subject knowledge, by the end of Year 6, children will have a chronological understanding of British History from the Stone Age to the present day. The impact and measure of our History curriculum is to ensure that children at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School are equipped with historical knowledge and skills that will enable them to be ready for the curriculum at Key Stage 3 and for life as an adult in the wider world. We want the children to have thoroughly enjoyed learning about history, therefore encouraging them to undertake new life experiences now and in the future. Outcomes in topic and literacy books, evidence a broad and balanced history curriculum and demonstrate the children’s acquisition of identified key knowledge. Children review the agreed successes at the end of every session and are actively encouraged to identify their own target areas, with support from their teachers. Children also record what they have learned comparative to their starting points at the end of every topic. Our children will think critically, evaluate evidence and develop their own perspectives and judgements.