HISTORY
Intent
Our intent is to deliver a broad and balanced History curriculum that is ambitious and challenging. We would like pupils to receive a high-quality history education that ‘inspires pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past’ (National Curriculum for History). It is designed to give all pupils, including those that are disadvantaged and pupils with SEND, the knowledge, understanding, skills and cultural capital they need to succeed in life. We want to develop pupils’ essential knowledge, understanding and skills that they need to be ‘secondary ready’ and educated citizens. Our aim is to expose pupils to subject specificity, introducing pupils to the best that has been taught and said, with an appreciation of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. They will develop skills in enquiry, using evidence as a source and the ability to use critical thinking when looking at contrasting views and interpretations of the past. The History curriculum is designed in a coherent and chronological way to increase pupils’ grasp of vocabulary and to ensure they can recall and remember what they have learnt through revisiting. The aim is that pupils can apply what they know and what they can do with increasing fluency and independence.
It covers one of the five ‘Golden Threads’ that underpin our curriculum at Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School:
‘How and why people travel’
Through this curriculum focus, we aim to give pupils an understanding of 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 for History).
We also aim to include our Catholic Values and the UN Rights of the Child as central themes through all of our learning.
Implementation
Our History curriculum is implemented through appropriate timetable choices where the teaching of History is spread over the whole year. Pupils usually spend two hours a week being taught one of the ‘Golden Threads’, which includes History, Geography, Art and Design Technology. Each of these subjects are revisited at regular intervals throughout the academic year.
Our planning is split into different parts to study. The curriculum is underpinned by a rationale to teach Historical vocabulary and language using high quality resources. There is a common understanding that knowledge and historical thinking skills are acquired due to good teaching and teachers’ subject knowledge. Reading is prioritised with modelled reading and opportunities for pupils to read high quality material balanced within lessons. The most trusted teaching methodology is applied by well prepared and supported teachers to sequences of learning that show continuity and progression. Planning takes into account the different starting points of pupils and ensures equal opportunities. Key concepts are revisited to give those who have missed learning an opportunity to catch up. The planning ensures SEND pupils have access to the curriculum through scaffolded support or differentiated outcomes. The subject matter is presented appropriately to allow learning to take place, promotes discussion, misconceptions are identified and teachers check whether pupils have understood what they have learnt. Resources are sourced and designed to help pupils remember content, which supports the intent of the curriculum, and the environment is pupil-focused to reflect these ambitious intentions. Learning is also delivered through field trips and exciting in-school visits from history experts.
The History curriculum plans for mastery with extension questions and memory retrieval through the use of: quizzes, songs and other retrieval strategies.
Assessment is predominantly through marking where teachers can inform future planning to achieve fluency, knowledge and skills that are embedded in pupils’ memory.