BRIERLEY CE (VC) PRIMARY SCHOOL HISTORY POLICY

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1 BRIERLEY CE (VC) PRIMARY SCHOOL HISTORY POLICY Rationale This policy reflects the school's values and philosophy in relation to the teaching and learning of history. It sets out a framework within which staff can operate and gives guidance on planning, teaching and assessment. The policy should be read in conjunction with the Programmes of Study for history in the National Curriculum, which sets out in detail what pupils will be taught. History is a foundation subject within the National curriculum. Aims and Objectives Through history we aim to:. make children aware that the past influences our lives and nurture the customs and beliefs of the communities to which we belong. prepare children for adult life. help children make sense of the world in which we live. encourage children to develop a sense of identity through learning about the development of Britain and the rest of the world. introduce, using National Curriculum attainment targets, what is involved in understanding and interpreting the past. stimulate an interest initially in the children s own past extending to other areas through the development of skills and concepts. enrich and underpin other areas of the curriculum. understand the present in the light of the past. develop a range of skills necessary to carry out an historical enquiry We will achieve these aims by the following objectives: For pupils to develop knowledge and understanding of the past. For pupils to study everyday life and the culture of people in the past and make comparisons with their own lives and experiences For pupils to understand how the environment in which they live fits into the history that they study. For pupils to compare a range of historical events to gain knowledge of change and the evolution of life style For pupils to be given an understanding of chronology For pupils to recognise that some things change and others remain the same For pupils to be made aware that historical events often have more than one cause and consequence 1

2 For pupils to use a range of primary and secondary sources and be aware of its value as evidence For pupils to select organise and communicate what they have learned about the past. For pupils to make appropriate progress in knowledge, understanding and skills in history. Delivery of Teaching and learning Teaching and learning of history in the EYFS is based upon the Statutory Framework and is included in the area of learning Understanding the World which progresses through developmental steps to reach the appropriate Early Learning Goal. This concentrates upon pupils own experiences, family, those around them and other cultures. The basis of learning across key stage 1 and key stage 2 is embodied within the development of ability within the history National Curriculum Programmes of Study: Key Stage 1 Pupils should develop an awareness of the past, using common words and phrases relating to the passing of time. They should know where the people and events they study fit within a chronological framework and identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods. They should use a wide vocabulary of everyday historical terms. They should ask and answer questions, choosing and using parts of stories and other sources to show that they know and understand key features of events. They should understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented. In planning to ensure the progression described above through teaching about the people, events and changes outlined below, teachers are often introducing pupils to historical periods that they will study more fully at key stages 2 and 3. Pupils should be taught about: Changes within living memory. Where appropriate, these should be used to reveal aspects of change in national life Events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally (e.g. the Great Fire of London, the first aeroplane flight or events commemorated through festivals or anniversaries) The lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements. Some should be used to compare aspects of life in different periods (e.g. Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria, Christopher Columbus and Neil Armstrong, William Caxton and Tim Berners-Lee, Pieter Bruegel the Elder and LS Lowry, Rosa Parks and Emily Davison, Mary Seacole and Edith Cavell) Significant historical events, people and places in their own locality. Key Stage 2 Pupils should continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study. They should note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms. They should regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance. They should construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information. They should understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources and that different versions of past events may exist, giving some reasons for this. In planning to ensure the progression described above through teaching the British, local and world history outlined below, teachers should combine overview and depth studies to help pupils understand both the long arc of development and the complexity of specific aspects of the content. Pupils should be taught about: 2

3 Changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age The Roman Empire and its impact on Britain Britain s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots The Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor A local history study A study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils chronological knowledge beyond 1066 The achievements of the earliest civilizations an overview of where and when the first civilizations appeared and a depth study of one of the following: Ancient Sumer; The Indus Valley; Ancient Egypt; The Shang Dynasty of Ancient China Ancient Greece a study of Greek life and achievements and their influence on the western world A non-european society that provides contrasts with British history - one study chosen from: early Islamic civilization, including a study of Baghdad c. AD 900; Mayan civilization c. AD 900; Benin (West Africa) c. AD Continuity and Progression To ensure adequate coverage of the areas of study throughout the school, a planning cycle has been drawn up by staff and is carefully balanced to ensure extension and consolidation of skills. In both key stages a one year cycle of topics has been introduced. EYFS history is delivered through the Early Year s curriculum. Opportunities will be provided to ensure careful progression from EYFS to KS1 and to KS2. Pupils will be given the chance to build on basic skills and topic themes, to use them in different contexts, and to reinforce and consolidate previous experiences. Pupils will also be given the opportunity to explore differing topic themes at a more complex level and thus increase their skills, knowledge, understanding and methods of enquiry. At Brierley CE (VC) Primary School history is taught through both a topic approach and discreet focus. Teaching and Learning strategies History is taught by class teachers and is organised on a topic basis wherein: history is taught as a programme of topics followed throughout the school (see Appendix 1) the amount of time allocated to history is flexible and may vary depending on the topic unit and class focus for that term. visits to museums, historical sites and specialists visiting school are an integral part of teaching and learning in History and are carefully planned to support classroom activities. Links with other subjects History contributes to many subjects within the primary curriculum, which allows pupils to begin to understand history in real contexts. There are strong links between history in; Literacy Art Design Technology 3

4 I.C.T Geography Standards and Expectations EYFS Expectations Understanding the world involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment. This will be accessed through; playing and exploring - children investigate and experience things, and have a go ; active learning - children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements; and creating and thinking critically - children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things. Learning Expectations 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. Inclusion Equal Opportunities We believe that all children irrespective of background, race, gender and capability should have equal access to the history curriculum. Refer to the Equal Opportunities and Inclusion Policies Special Educational Needs and Disabilities In differentiating activities for special educational needs children, it is necessary to break down tasks into small steps giving them achievable goals. Knowledge and understanding can be communicated 4

5 in many different ways. This allows children with special needs to show their understanding and skills in ways, which are achievable and appropriate to their needs. Work is differentiated to assist children's learning in terms of: learning outcomes tasks teaching methods resources More able, gifted and talented As with all children it is important to set appropriate learning challenges which respond to the individual needs. It may be appropriate to select knowledge skills understanding from later year groups / key stages to allow such children to make progress and reach their full potential. Teachers may plan further differentiation by extending the breadth and depth of study. The more able children should be given open-ended tasks and opportunities for further research and more challenging study. Recording / Monitoring Progress National Curriculum documentation will guide medium and short term planning. Monitoring of planning will take place by the History subject leader to ensure coverage and progression. Samples of work are also scrutinised by the subject leader to monitor standards. Classroom observations are carried out on a three-year cycle to monitor teaching and learning. Portfolio A subject leader portfolio is kept to show evidence of teaching, learning and standards in history across school. It includes work samples, photographs and other information, which the subject leader feels appropriate. This supports the monitoring and evaluation by the governors. Record Keeping and Assessment Assessment opportunities are identified in medium term planning documentation and are used alongside the history foundation subject assessment sheets, which assesses pupil s progress towards the learning objectives/outcomes for each topic unit. A summative record, with appropriate assessment criteria, is completed at the end of each term. Parents are informed of their child s progress in the end of year Key Stage Plan and Progress Report. During termly parent, teacher, child consultations there is opportunity to discuss progress in history. September 2015 Next review; September 2018 Appendix 1 History Long Term Plan 5

6 History Year 1 Year 2 Year How are our toys different from those in the past? What was it like for children living in the Second World War? What are we remembering on Remembrance Day? 3 Florence Nightingale How do we know about the Great Fire of London? 4 George Stephenson and Neil Armstrong Stone Age to Iron Age 5 Castles Seaside holidays in the past 6 Cannon Hall What can we find out about Ancient Egypt from what has survived? Year 4 Romans Victorians China Year 5 Anglo Saxon and Viking Who were the Ancient Struggle Greeks? Year 6 An aspect of British History since 1066 What can we learn about recent history from studying the life of a famous person? (John Lennon) Local historical study Mining What was it like to live here in the past? How did life change in our locality in Victorian times? World History Mayan Civilisations 6