Burton Road Primary School

History Policy

 History at primary level helps children to gain knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. It involves understanding the process of change, the complexity of people’s lives, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and society today. History allows children to develop the following key skills: ask perceptive questions, think critically, evaluate evidence and examine arguments. Our history curriculum allows children to develop their cultural capital. Purposeful and natural links to British values and discussions around being good UK and global citizens are threaded through the curriculum. Our history curriculum promotes the rich diversity of the world, Britain and an appreciation of our locality.

“The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future.” Theodore Roosevelt

 Primary history helps pupils to:

• • Build knowledge of the history of Britain and the wider world and key historical concepts
  • Have an understanding of historical enquiry
  • Form and present opinions using evidence

Knowledge and Skills:

Historical knowledge will be developed through a range of whole school themes which are broken down into specific aspects of history for each Key Stage in line with the National Curriculum expectations. Please refer to the long-term plans and the Key knowledge and skills progression documents.

Historical skills such as chronological understanding, continuity and change, similarities and differences, cause and consequence and significance will be taught through these topics.

At Burton Road we recognise that other subjects can be linked to history and some of our historical knowledge and skills will be developed through literacy, art, music and PSHE in particular.

Overall themes:

We have identified two overall themes that we believe are important to help our children become better citizens both during their journey at Burton Road School and for their futures. These are Immigration/Migration and Autocracy to Democracy. Throughout all history topics our children will learn the importance and impact of both of these themes and how changes through history have affected our lives today.

Intent, Implementation and Impact.

Intent: 

At Burton Road Primary School, we believe that children should learn about history in a way that inspires their curiosity to know more about the past.

By the time they leave primary school, children need to have knowledge about the history of Britain and the wider world and have a coherent understanding of historical concepts and historical enquiry. Children need to be able to use history to understand the world and society today and be able to form and present their own opinions based on historical evidence.

Implementation:

We have a long-term plan that ensures coverage of the National Curriculum expectations across the year groups.

Staff will also use the progression of knowledge and skills documents when making short-term plans to ensure that children build on their previous learning. Where gaps in knowledge and skills are discovered then teaching will be revisited.

Medium and short term planning will ensure that lessons are captivating in order to develop a love of history and promote the use of evidence to form an opinion.

Impact:

Cold tasks will be used at the start of a topic and hot tasks at the end to ensure that children both know and remember more and have developed their chronological and historical enquiry skills.

Monitoring

Monitoring will take place by the history co-ordinator which will include speaking to pupils, looking at planning and work in books.

We have a long-term plan that ensures coverage of the National Curriculum expectations across the year groups.

Staff will also use the progression of knowledge and skills documents when making short-term plans to ensure that children build on their previous learning. Where gaps in knowledge and skills are discovered then teaching will be revisited.

Medium and short term planning will ensure that lessons are captivating in order to develop a love of history and promote the use of evidence to form an opinion.

Cold tasks will be used at the start of a topic and hot tasks at the end to ensure that children both know and remember more and have developed their chronological and historical enquiry skills.

Monitoring will take place by the history co-ordinator which will include speaking to pupils, looking at planning and work in books.