History
History Curriculum Statement
At Abbey Village the teaching of history gives pupils an understanding of the past through learning about human achievements and experiences. We aim to give our children a history curriculum which enables them to become confident, creative and independent learners. We want to inspire the pupils' curiosity to know more about the past and to consider the fundamental historical concepts of continuity and change, cause and consequence, significance and similarities and differences within the different periods studied. We seek to broaden children's real-life experiences both inside and outside of school through educational visits, visitors, exploration and discovery. We believe that within history lessons, our children acquire a range of knowledge and skills, which they can then apply to other subjects and in a variety of situations.
Intent
At Abbey Village, we aim for our children to develop a curiosity and fascination to find out more about our local past and that of Britain’s and the wider world. We strive to ensure all children have a fundamental understanding of key periods in history and to learn to ask appropriate questions about why things happen in the past and the impact of those events. Our teaching equips pupils with a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. Children will learn about ancient civilisations and empires, changes in living memory and beyond living memory, learn about the lives of significant people and events in the past.
Implementation
Our history curriculum is taught in blocks over a range of different topics throughout the year on a rolling cycle; this allows children to develop depth in their learning and expand on existing knowledge. Teachers are aware of the key knowledge and skills of each topic and careful consideration has been given to ensure progression across years and classes.We teach our curriculum through key substantive concepts which thread through our curriculum. They are: Turning Points, Leadership, Invasion, Childhood and Civilisation. These are learned and revisited throughout our curriculum to help our pupils develop a secure understanding of these elements of historical enquiry.
Early Years
In reception, history is covered through the curriculum programme of PSED and Understanding the World, in particular past and present. Children talk about the lives of the people around them and their roles in society. They develop their understanding of the past and now. They learn about their lives and their family history. They will begin to develop their understanding of change and aging when talking about their family members. Children will compare and contrast characters from stories including figures from the past such as kings, queens, and famous people that provide the foundations for historical concepts.
Key stage 1
Children begin learn about changes within living memory and events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally. They will also study the lives of significant individuals who have made contributions to national and international achievements.They learn where the people and events they study fit within a chronological framework and they identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods.
Key stage 2
The children continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world hisotry.
Impact
The teaching of history enables pupils to:
- develop a curiosity and understanding of events, places and people in a variety of times.
- develop an appreciation of human achievements and aspirations.
- understand the values of our society.
- think critically and be able to support, evaluate and challenge their own and others’ views using historical evidence from a range of sources.
- learn about the major issues and events in the history of our own country and of the world and how these events may have influenced one another.
- develop a knowledge of chronology within which the children can organise their understanding of the past.
- understand how the past was different from the present and that people of other times and places may have had different values and attitudes from ours.
- distinguish between historical facts and the interpretation of those facts.
- understand that events have a range of causes and that historical explanation is provisional, debatable and sometimes controversial.
Useful links:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/forkids/
https://www.historyforkids.net/
https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/category/discover/history/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/shows/horrible-histories