History

At Sigglesthorne Primary Academy we follow the National Curriculum for History (2014), please use the tabs below to view the Intent, Implementation and Impact of our History Curriculum.  

Intent

At Sigglesthorne Primary Academy we follow the National Curriculum for History (2014), offering high-quality history education which helps pupils gain knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. We encourage pupils’ curiosity to learn more about the past, promoting pupils’ inquisitiveness, asking perceptive questions, thinking critically, weighing evidence and developing 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, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.  (National Curriculum, DfES, 2014). 

Children are provided with a grounding in core disciplinary knowledge and the ability to approach challenging, historically-valid questions. The intention is to provide a curriculum that engenders excitement for history, inspiring a curiosity to learn more about the past. 

We recognise that progression and cohesion in the teaching and learning of history needs to flow effectively from Nursery to Year 6.  The EYFS at Sigglesthorne Primary Academy follows the ‘Early Years Statutory Framework for the Early Years and Foundation Stage’ (DfES, 2014) ‘Communication and Language’ is a key focus through which foundation stage pupils are taught history and historical concepts.  ‘Understanding of the World’ is the specific area in which pupils are introduced to history skills and knowledge.  

In Key Stage 1, pupils build on the foundations of the EYFS curriculum, developing their awareness of the past and extending to learning about people, events and changes beyond living memory. The topics within Key Stage 2 are planned in order to support pupils’ understanding and to develop their ability to recognise connections, contrasts and trends over time.   Pupils are also given the opportunity to learn through challenged based learning, to improve their general understanding and allow for learning to be child led and achievable to all. 

At Sigglesthorne Primary Academy, the curriculum develops pupils’ learning in a range of contexts, both on and off site. Trips, visits and visitors therefore form a crucial part of our approach to learning, giving pupils the opportunity to immerse themselves in a history topic and to bring it alive.  Where possible, the history curriculum is linked to the local area so that pupils gain an understanding of  what they have learned links to where they live. 

Implementation

History at Sigglesthorne Primary Academy at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 is taught, generally, in alternate half-terms and lessons are subject-specific.  In EYFS, it is taught in a way which is relevant to the pupils, so that they understand history in terms of their own lives and the lives of those around them. For example, every Monday pupils have time to talk about their weekends. They learn about family customs and routines, festivals and traditions, at the times when these occur.  

Long term plans for history focus on the teaching and learning, ensuring that there is a clear progression in key skills both across a year and from year to year. Disciplinary knowledge is taught alongside substantive knowledge and is revisited and developed across Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.   Each unit has an enquiry question, which provides pupils with the opportunity to develop second order concepts and to consider the past in the same way as historians. 

Impact

The teaching and learning of History progress through Key stages, giving pupils the skills and knowledge that they need to move forward in their learning, alongside opportunities to apply their knowledge to different situations.  Learning is assessed per lesson and from children’s feedback. Challenge-based learning gives children opportunity to re-visit and reconfirm and deepen their learning. When children keep up with the curriculum, they are considered to be making expected progress and to have achieved the expected standard for their year group.  Regular assessments in lessons and reviews of previous learning enable teachers to assess each pupil’s understanding of the curriculum. Challenge based learning gives pupils the opportunity to explain their understanding of their learning.  This information is used to identify and fill gaps in their knowledge and understanding and to ensure that pupils make rapid progress, with the overall aim that pupils are equipped with historical skills and knowledge that will enable them to be ready for the curriculum at Key Stage 3.

Additional Resources

• Progression Of Knowledge – History