History

Teaching History at Over Hall Community School

'Be supported, feel supported - make a difference'

History lead: Miss Stanley

Intent

At Over Hall we view History as a great deal more than learning facts.  We strive to:-

• Ignite interest and curiosity of both the past and the present.
• Develop children’s knowledge and understanding of historically significant people, events and places from the past, empowering them to become knowledgeable citizens of the future.
• Provide creative, interactive and enquiry-based lessons which ignite interest in the past; helping the pupils to develop a positive attitude towards history.
• Ensure pupils experience a progressive curriculum that equips them with sound historical knowledge, enquiry skills and a rich vocabulary.

Implementation

History is taught using the National Curriculum objectives as skills threaded through a curriculum designed through a thematic approach. The past comes to life when children use a variety of sources of information to find clues and evidence and take part in discussions with their peers.  Through History, children learn to make comparisons and links between the past and modern times and discover how and why things have changed.  They learn about people and events in the past, in Britain and the wider world, and realise that these have influenced our lives today.  Children are taught how to investigate and record their findings in interesting and creative ways including writing, art, drama and ICT.

Leadership - as a result of effective leadership staff receive training and support ensuring they have the knowledge, expertise and skills to effectively implement history within their cohort. Visits and specialists within the subject are hugely influential in the delivery of the curriculum.

Equal opportunities – All children are given sufficient time to access the history curriculum.

Planning - The long-term plan is for children to build upon their knowledge and skills, encompassing effective historical study and enquiry; building knowledge and awareness through exploration of historical sources and chronology; investigating similarities and differences; identifying changes over time; commenting upon the possible causes and effects.

Breadth and depth - In all year groups, children are expected to use historically accurate language and terms both orally and written.

Our curriculum begins in Key Stage One, where pupils explore:

• Changes within living memory – family and local life alongside national changes.
• Events beyond living memory that are significant either nationally or globally.
• The lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements.
• Aspects of life in different periods of time e.g. compare explorers, kings and queens.
• Significant events, people and places in their own locality.
• Some elements of the Key Stage Two curriculum

In Key Stage Two, our pupils explore overviews and in-depth studies of:

• Changes in Britain from the stone Age to the iron Age.
• The Roman Empire and its impact upon Britain.
• Britain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots.
• The Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor.
• Local history.
• Chronology beyond 1066.
• Achievements of early civilisations.
• Ancient Greece.
• Non-European society contrasting to British history.

Please refer to the history progression of skills for a breakdown of knowledge and skills for year groups.

As well as completing work inside the classroom, opportunities for enrichment are frequently sought to engage pupils and support them in applying their historical enquiry skills in real-life settings. Wherever possible, such opportunities also develop and enrich the children’s appreciation and knowledge of their local area.

Such experiences include: Day visits to a range of Museums and places of historical importance.

Assessment - Subject Leaders monitor the progress of history through work scrutiny of topic books, pupil voice, work displayed etc. Next steps for the subject then become evident.

Impact

Through our teaching and learning of history, pupils have a positive view of the subject and are able to enthusiastically communicate their knowledge of historically significant people, places and events. Pupils will feel like historians as they complete successful and progressively more sophisticated historical enquiries through application of their historical skills. enquiries *Please see class or key stage pages for learning intentions for each year group.

The Over Hall Community School History Policy can be found under the Policies tab on the school website.

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