We believe that history plays a vital role in developing internationally-minded children who understand the interconnectedness of the past, present, and future. Through engaging with historical inquiry, our children will develop a sense of identity, empathy, and respect for diverse cultures and perspectives. This implementation statement outlines how we will deliver a rich and meaningful history curriculum. Our approach to history is rooted in the PYP philosophy, emphasising inquiry-based learning, conceptual understanding, and the development of the IB Learner Profile attributes.
History will be intrinsically linked to the Transdisciplinary Themes of the PYP, providing authentic contexts for learning and allowing children to explore significant historical concepts within broader Units of Inquiry. Our history curriculum will be organised around the Units of Inquiry within each year group, while specific content will vary according to the chosen themes. We will focus on developing a deep understanding of key historical concepts such as: change, causation, perspective, continuity, significance, and responsibility. These concepts will be explored across different time periods and contexts. Each Unit of Inquiry will incorporate specific Lines of Inquiry that guide children’s exploration of historical topics, encouraging them to ask questions, gather information, and make connections.
We will explicitly teach and develop essential historical skills, including:
Chronological Understanding: Developing a sense of time and sequencing events.
Source Analysis: Examining and interpreting a variety of primary and secondary sources (e.g., artifacts, photographs, documents, oral histories).
Research and Inquiry: Formulating questions, locating and selecting relevant information.
Interpretation: Developing explanations and drawing conclusions based on evidence.
Communication: Presenting historical understanding in various formats.
Local and Global Perspectives: We will ensure that children explore both local and global history, fostering an understanding of their own heritage within a wider world context.
We will strive to include diverse voices and perspectives in our studies.
Assessment in history will be ongoing and aligned with the PYP assessment principles. We will utilise a range of formative and summative assessment strategies to monitor children’s learning and understanding, including observations, discussions and questioning, work samples, performance tasks and self and peer assessment.
Assessment will focus on children’s conceptual understanding, development of historical skills, and their ability to make connections to the overarching themes and the IB Learner Profile.
We are committed to meeting the diverse learning needs of all our children. Adaptive teaching in history will be achieved through providing varied entry points and levels of challenge and offering a range of resources and learning activities. We will provide adaptations and support as needed and allow for children’s choice in how they demonstrate their learning.
This implementation statement will be reviewed and evaluated regularly to ensure its effectiveness and alignment with the evolving needs of all our children and the PYP framework. Feedback from teachers, children, and parents/carers will be considered in this ongoing process.
By implementing this approach to history, we aim to empower our children to become informed, engaged, and responsible global citizens who appreciate the richness and complexity of the human story.
