Pittington Primary School

History Curriculum Intent

Our History Lead is: Mrs Nobbs

Our History Link Governor is: Mr Curry

“A high-quality history education will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. It should inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past. Teaching should equip pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. History helps pupils to understand 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.”                                                                                                                                                                        The National Curriculum

INTENT

At Pittington Primary School we aim to deliver a history curriculum that is accessible to all and that will maximise the outcomes for every child so that they know more, remember more and understand more. Our teaching of history will help pupils gain a secure knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. The curriculum is structured in a way that allows for children to make links between current and previous learning. Teachers use the long term plans for history to make comparisons between historical periods previously taught, developing children’s chronological knowledge and understanding from the Stone Age to present day.

We want children to be curious to know more about the past and to have the skills required to explore their own interests. History lessons focus on working as historians and developing historical skills and there are many opportunities for the curriculum to be enriched through historical visits, visitors and events held in school.

We aim to enable children to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. It is important for children to develop a sense of identity through learning about the past and we want them to know how history has shaped their own lives. This is why the local area is fully utilised to achieve the curriculum outcomes. At Pittington we dedicate a week to our local history study. Each year group has a different focus so that by the end of KS2 children will have a deep understanding of their locality. 

IMPLEMENTATION

Teachers use a variety of teaching and learning styles in their history lessons to develop pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding in history.

We believe children learn best when:

• They have access to, and are able to handle artefacts
• They go on visits to museums and places of interest
• They have access to secondary sources such as books and photographs
• Visitors talk about personal experiences of the past
• They listen to and interact with stories from the past
• They undertake fieldwork by interviewing family and older friends about changes in their own and other people’s lives
• They use drama and dance to act out historical events
• They are shown, or use independently, resources from the internet and videos
• They are able to use non-fiction books for research
• They are provided with opportunities to work independently or collaboratively, to ask as well as answer historical questions.

We recognise that there are children of differing abilities in all our classes, and so we provide suitable learning opportunities for all children. We achieve this through a range of strategies which are differentiated by expected outcome and support from peers or adults.

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

The children’s understanding and knowledge of historical facts will be broadened through the teaching of the following key concepts: 

• chronological knowledge and understanding
• history of the wider world
• understanding of abstract terms
• Historical concepts
• Continuity and change
• Cause and consequence
• Similarity and difference
• Significance
• Historical enquiry
• Interpretation of history and historical perspective

CURRICULM PLANNING

The long-term and medium-term plans map out the skills and themes covered each term for each year group. These plans define what we will teach and where links to prior learning can be built on. Key dates, specific vocabulary and links to curriculum enrichment are included to inform teacher’s individual short term planning. When and where appropriate, opportunities will be encouraged to promote historical learning across the curriculum.

History in the Early Years

Young children explore the past through their environment, family history and stories. There are many opportunities for children to talk about past and present events in their own lives and in the lives of family members. Children enjoy asking and answering questions and are encouraged to question why things happen and give explanations. Stories are used to sequence events and develop their use of language relating to time.

History in Key Stages 1 and 2

The National Curriculum for history aims to ensure that all pupils:

• know and understand the history of these islands as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day: how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world
• know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution of empires; characteristic features of past non-European societies; achievements and follies of mankind
• gain and deploy a historically grounded understanding of abstract terms such as ‘empire’, ‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and ‘peasantry’
• understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance, and use them to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame historically-valid questions and create their own structured accounts, including written narratives and analyses
• understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed
• gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history; and between short- and long-term timescales

ASSESSMENT 

Assessment in history is an ongoing process. Teachers will make informal judgements about pupil’s progress and attainment as they observe them throughout lessons and mark their work.  

At the end of each term, teachers will decide on a pupil’s level of attainment noting which children are: 

• working above the age-related expectations 
• working at the age-related expectations
• working towards the age-related expectations 

These judgements will be made in line with the Long-Term Curriculum Plan and National Curriculum.

EQUALITY STATEMENT

Pittington Primary School is committed to giving all of our pupils every equal opportunity in all aspects of school life.  Our aim is to offer an inclusive curriculum that is relevant and adapted to the needs and abilities of all pupils.  We ensure inclusive opportunities for raising self-esteem and celebrating success so that all learners can reach their true full potential.

At Pittington Primary School we are committed to ensuring equality of opportunity for all pupils, staff, parents and carers irrespective of race, religion, gender, disability, belief, sexual orientation, age or socio-economic background.  We provide an environment which enables every pupil to feel safe, encourages good health and wellbeing, and promotes relationships that are trustful and respectful.  We believe that every teacher is a teacher of all children including those with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) and it is our duty to value each individual child to enable them to enjoy learning through an inclusive curriculum.  It is our aim to continue to develop a culture of inclusion and diversity in which all those connected to the school feel proud of their identity, where all children have the ability to participate fully in school life, and where children are confident learners both for now and for their futures.

We tackle any type of discriminatory behaviour or prejudice through the positive promotion of equality, by challenging bullying and stereotypes and by creating an environment which champions respect for all.  We provide all our pupils with the opportunity to succeed and to reach the highest level of personal achievement. We work in partnership with parents, carers, staff, governors and local services within our community to prepare children from Pittington Primary School for life in a diverse society.  We believe that diversity is a strength, which should be reflected and celebrated by all who learn, teach and visit Pittington Primary School.

FUNDAMENTAL BRITISH VALUES

British Values is defined by the Department for Education as:

• Respect for democracy and support or participation in the democratic process
• Respect for the basis on which the law is made and applies to England
• Support for equality of opportunity for all
• Support and respect for the liberties of all within the law
• Respect for and tolerance of difference faiths and religious and other beliefs

At Pittington Primary School, we ensure that the fundamental British Values are introduced, discussed and permeate the ethos and work of the school. The curriculum provides a vehicle for furthering and deepening an understanding of these concepts.

We actively encourage the children at our school to be unique, creative, independent and open-minded individuals who respect themselves and others in our school, the local community and across the wider world.

Our aim is to nurture our children on their journey through primary school so that they can grow into caring, democratic, responsible and tolerant adults who can, and will make, a positive difference to society across Britain and the world.

RESOURCES

Each classroom has access to the internet through an interactive whiteboard and children have access to ipads and laptops. Educational visits are planned to enhance learning and give hands on activity. Wherever possible, links are made with Durham University who also have access to artefacts and sources of evidence. People with an interest, or expertise, in a particular topic or area of history are invited into school to work with the children. These might be parents, grandparents, other family members, neighbours or representatives of the local community.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Mrs L Nobbs is subject lead and Mr R Curry is subject link governor for history.

The subject lead will monitor teaching and learning in history across school. Monitoring takes place each term through a variety of ways. This includes a scrutiny of children’s work and short term planning, discussions with children and lesson observations. The subject leader will meet with the subject link governor each term to inform them of recent updates.