History 

Intent 

Through history we provide a wide range of inclusive opportunities to inspire our pupil's curiosity of the past. We ensure they have a secure body of knowledge and effective historical skills alongside being exposed to a diverse range of historical people and places. We aspire for them to be critical thinkers which will enable them to contribute to a local, national and global communities. 

What do we teach in the EYFS and Key Stage 1? 

Pupils learn about their own lives, about their families and friends in the recent past and about people and events from the more distant past. In Year R pupils learn that there is a past by looking at Nursery rhymes and their own lives. In Year 1 they look at famous people and events, focusing on causes, consequences and what it was like to live in the distant past. By Y2 pupils will spend more time looking at change. Throughout the key stage pupils will explore historical sources, especially the pictorial and the artefactual. 

What do we teach in Key Stage 2? 

In September 2022 we  adopted a new curriculum which started in Year 3 and then was rolled out (Year 3-5). In subsequent years it will be implemented from Year 3 through to Year 6.

Opening Worlds is a knowledge-rich humanities programme for teaching history  in Years 3 to 6. As a school we are provided with curriculum resources together with training, support and ongoing programme-related professional development for our school teachers. Because of its rapidly discernible effects on literacy and its highly inclusive approach, Opening Worlds has quickly gained appeal in schools tackling under-achievement in areas of considerable social disadvantage.

The Opening Worlds programme was first launched in 2019 by Christine Counsell and Steve Mastin, in association with Haringey Education Partnership (HEP) where over 60 primary schools took it up. More recently, a further 60 primary schools have now adopted the programme in Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Liverpool.  In partnership with HEP, Opening Worlds now works with formal networks of ten or more primary schools (e.g. LA partnerships, MATs and other school groups with established community leadership). 

Recording

Work in the foundation subjects is recorded in curriculum books. These books should demonstrate the range of skills and knowledge taught, and should be of high quality in both content and presentation.

Impact of this on our pupils:

• Have a broad knowledge and understanding of the past at local, national and global level. 

• Be curious to ask and explore powerful questions of the past.

• Express opinions and develop judgement about the world that are rooted in evidence. 

• Understand the processes of history and the historian's craft; be a detective and a storyteller. 

• Have a knowledge and understanding of past events to enable them to enact critically with the present.

• Develop a lifelong love of history that goes beyond the classroom.

• Have an understanding and appreciation of a diverse range of cultures, societies and values so that different voices are heard and celebrated. 

• Have an awareness of the historic environments in the local community and links to wider issues.