History

History at St John's

Intent

At St John’s CoE Primary School, our history curriculum is designed to foster a deep curiosity about the past and to help students understand its significance to the present and future. Our intention is to inspire pupils to be curious and creative thinkers who develop a complex knowledge of local and national history and the history of the wider world. We want pupils to develop the confidence to think critically, ask questions, and be able to explain and analyse historical evidence.We aim to:

• Inspire a love of learning about history, creating an environment where students are encouraged to ask questions, think critically, and develop a sense of wonder about the past.
• Build knowledge and understanding of key historical periods, events, and figures, enabling pupils to construct a coherent understanding of British and world history.
• Support pupils in building their understanding of chronology in each year group, making connections over periods of time and developing a chronologically-secure knowledge of History.
• Encourage students to connect their learning to their own lives and communities, helping them to recognize the relevance of history and its role in shaping society.
• Embed Christian values such as respect, compassion, and perseverance, teaching children to view history with empathy and to appreciate diverse perspectives.
• Promote inclusivity, ensuring that all pupils, regardless of background or ability, can access and enjoy history and reach their full potential.

The St John’s History curriculum follows the structure of the Kapow Primary’s History scheme of work which enables pupils to meet the end of Key stage attainment targets in the National curriculum and the aims also align with those set out in the National curriculum. For EYFS, the activities allow pupils to work towards the Understanding the world Development matters statements and Early learning goals, while also covering foundational knowledge that will support them in their further history learning in Key stage 1. 

Implementation

In order to meet the aims of the National curriculum for History and in response to the Ofsted Research review into History, we have identified the following key strands: topic knowledge, chronological awareness,substantive concepts, historical enquiry and disciplinary concepts.

Long and medium term planning emphasises the importance of historical knowledge being shaped by disciplinary approaches. These strands are interwoven through all History units to create engaging and enriching learning experiences which allow the children to investigate history as historians do. 

Each six-lesson unit has a focus on chronology to allow children to explore the place in time of the period they are studying and make comparisons in other parts of the world. In EYFS, children explore the concept of history by reflecting on key experiences from their own past, helping them understand that they each have their own histories. Then, they engage in activities to compare and contrast characters from stories, including historical figures, deepening their understanding of how individual lives fit into broader historical narratives. Children will further develop their awareness of the past in Key stage 1 and will know where people and events fit chronologically. This will support children in building a ‘mental timeline’ they can refer to throughout their learning in Key stage 2 and identifying connections, contrasts and trends over time. The use of timelines supports children in developing this chronological awareness.

History lessons integrate St John’s core Christian values as well as British values, fostering an environment of respect, tolerance, and understanding. This helps students view historical events with empathy and appreciate diverse cultures and perspectives.

There are two EYFS units focused on each of the history-related Development matters statements. These units consist of a mixture of adult-led and child-initiated activities which can be selected by the teacher to fit in with Reception class themes or topics. In Key stage 1 and 2, units are organised around an enquiry-based question and children are encouraged to follow the enquiry cycle (Question, Investigate, Interpret, Evaluate and conclude, Communicate) when answering historical questions. 

Over the course of the scheme, children develop their understanding of the following key disciplinary concepts: 

·         Change and continuity. 

·         Cause and consequence. 

·         Similarities and differences. 

·         Historical significance. 

·         Historical interpretations. 

·         Sources of evidence. 

These concepts will be encountered in different contexts during the study of local, British and world history. Accordingly, children will have varied opportunities to learn how historians use these skills to analyse the past and make judgements.

Impact

The impact of Kapow Primary’s scheme can be constantly monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities. Each lesson includes guidance to support teachers in assessing pupils against the learning objectives. Furthermore, each unit has a skill catcher and knowledge assessment quiz which can be used at the end of the unit to provide a summative assessment. 

The impact of our history curriculum is reflected in students who:

·         Know and understand the history of Britain, how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world. 

·         Develop an understanding of the history of the wider world, including ancient civilisations, empires, non-European societies and the achievements of mankind. 

·         Develop a historically-grounded understanding of substantive concepts - power, invasion, settlement and migration, civilisation, religion, trade, achievements of mankind and society. 

·         Form historical arguments based on cause and effect, consequence, continuity and change, similarity and differences. 

·         Have an appreciation for significant individuals, inventions and events that impact our world both in history and from the present day. 

·         Understand how historians learn about the past and construct accounts. 

·         Ask historically-valid questions through an enquiry-based approach to learning to create structured accounts. 

·         Explain how and why interpretations of the past have been constructed using evidence. 

·         Make connections between historical concepts and timescales. 

·         Meet the relevant Early Learning Goals at the end of EYFS (Reception) and the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National curriculum for History at the end of Key stage 1 and 2. 

At St John’s CoE Primary School, History is a journey into the stories, cultures, and events that have shaped our world. Through a robust and engaging curriculum, we aim to inspire every student to explore, appreciate, and learn from the past.