St Ambrose Catholic Primary School History Policy 2017-2018 History is a subject, which is widely enjoyed by pupils across all years, challenging them in their thinking, the way in which they act and the way in which they perceive and relate to others. We firmly believe that History helps children to develop an awareness of themselves and their peers within the context of local, national and international events. History engenders a sense of identity, recognising the changes that have taken place which have led us to the world as we know it today. In celebrating our diverse heritage History can help to promote both diversity and inclusivity. The skills required for learning about the past not only lead to pupils becoming critical, independent thinkers but also contribute to the development of a range of skills necessary for life such as literacy, numeracy and social skills. We recognise that children start their journey through History at primary level and that this stage is crucial in embedding the practices, knowledge and skills of the historian, which pupils will continue to develop throughout their education. This journey should allow pupils to develop their curiosity, engage their minds in complex thinking and most of all, it should be fun and exciting to ensure that pupils develop a genuine love for the subject and their shared history. Aims of the History Curriculum We aim to: - provide a high-quality history education which will help pupils to gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain s past and that of the wider world. - develop pupils ability to ask and answer history based questions, using a range of historical materials. - support pupils in their understanding of key historical concepts. - help pupils become critical, independent, creative thinkers - develop within pupils a genuine love for History.
History Curriculum Objectives The above aims are to be achieved through: - the development of a chronologically based delivery of the National Curriculum for History (2014) from year 3 to year 6 - the delivery of high quality, enquiry based lessons - planning for progression in pupils development of a range of history skills from Early Years Foundation Stage to Year 6, including the ability to ask and answer history related questions and present their findings - exposing pupils to an increasing range of historical resources - promoting the use of research skills - utilising the external environment to exemplify elements of local and national history - adopting a range of learning and teaching approaches to ensure that all pupils can access the history curriculum and show what they have learnt - staff awareness of how the development of pupils history skills at primary level prepare them for study of the subject at secondary level and beyond - making cross-curricular links where appropriate to enhance pupil understanding of History History Curriculum History is taught in chronological order across KS1 and KS2. YEAR 1 Famous people Toys and games YEAR 2 Fire of London Homes/Castles In KS1, 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 [for example, 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 [for example, 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/or Florence Nightingale and Edith Cavell] significant historical events, people and places in their own locality.
YEAR 3 Ancient Britain (Stone Age to Iron Age) Pupils should be taught about changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age This could include: a. late Neolithic hunter-gatherers and early farmers, for example, Skara Brae b. Bronze Age religion, technology and travel, for example, Stonehenge c. Iron Age hill forts: tribal kingdoms, farming, art and culture Roman Britain Pupils should be taught about the Roman empire and its impact on Britain This could include: a. Julius Caesar s attempted invasion in 55-54 BC b. the Roman Empire by AD 42 and the power of its army c. successful invasion by Claudius and conquest, including Hadrian s Wall d. British resistance, for example, Boudica e. "Romanisation" of Britain: sites such as Caerwent and the impact of technology, culture and beliefs, including early Christianity
YEAR 4 Anglo-Saxons & Scots Pupils should be taught about Britain s settlement by Anglo- Saxons and Scots This could include: a. Roman withdrawal from Britain in c. AD 410 and the fall of the western Roman Empire b. Scots invasions from Ireland to north Britain (now Scotland) c. Anglo-Saxon invasions, settlements and kingdoms: place names and village life d. Anglo-Saxon art and culture e. Christian conversion Canterbury, Iona and Lindisfarne Anglo-Saxons & Vikings Pupils should be taught about the Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor This could include: a. Viking raids and invasion b. resistance by Alfred the Great and Athelstan, first king of England c. further Viking invasions and Danegeld d. Anglo-Saxon laws and justice e. Edward the Confessor and his death in 1066 Local History Pupils should be taught about an aspect of local history For example: a. a depth study linked to one of the British areas of study listed above b. a study over time tracing how several aspects of national history are reflected in the locality (this can go beyond 1066) c. a study of an aspect of history or a site dating from a period beyond 1066 that is significant in the locality.
YEAR 5 Extended chronological study beyond 1066+ (Crime & Punishment/ First railways/ Battle of Britain) Pupils should be taught a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils chronological knowledge beyond 1066 For example: a. the changing power of monarchs using case studies such as John, Anne and Victoria b. changes in an aspect of social history, such as crime and punishment from the Anglo- Saxons to the present or leisure and entertainment in the 20th Century c. the legacy of Greek or Roman culture (art, architecture or literature) on later periods in British history, including the present day d. a significant turning point in British history, for example, the first railways or the Battle of Britain Ancient civilisations Pupils should be taught about 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: a. Ancient Sumer; b. The Indus Valley; c. Ancient Egypt; or d. The Shang Dynasty of Ancient China YEAR 6 Ancient Greece Pupils should be taught a study of Greek life and achievements and their influence on the western world
Non-European C900 A.D Pupils should be taught about a non-european society that provides contrasts with British history - one study chosen from: a. Early Islamic civilization, including a study of Baghdad c. AD 900; b. Mayan civilization c. AD 900; or c. Benin (West Africa) c. AD 900-1300 History in the Early Years Foundation Stage We take a long term approach to the learning of History and as such the following statement from the EYFS programme of study has been identified as having clear links to History: 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. (DfE 2014:8) Through such activities as story-telling and discussion of the story with the children; reading and discussion of stories as a class; conversation with children during informal and formal learning activities and through the use of a range of materials (eg: old toys, pictures of famous people) pupils are encouraged to ask questions, talk about differences/similarities between items or characters in stories and reach verbal conclusions based on information. As a result the teacher is able to develop historical skills and understanding before the formal history of KS2. History: Skills and Concept Development The following skills and concepts as identified in the National Curriculum document will continue to be developed, ensuring progress is made across both key stages: Historical Skills: - Asking questions/ answering questions asked of them/ answering their own questions using historical evidence provided. - Selecting evidence from a range provided in order to answer questions - Selecting evidence from a range provided in order to form a hypothesis or reach a substantiated conclusion - Using an increasing number of sources in order to answer questions, starting with one source and progressing to a number appropriate for the pupil - Finding their own resources for use in an enquiry, with guidance and eventually independently
- Using an increasingly diverse range of resources in historical enquiries, including but not exclusive to the use of visual sources, artefacts, written evidence, oral testimony, the external environment - Presenting information/knowledge and showing understanding of a history subject through such means as written materials (eg letters, scripts, reports, newspaper articles, poetry), diagrams, drama, posters and visual displays, use of a timeline, power point presentation used as part of peer teaching Historical Concepts Chronology Pupils will develop the ability to: - Place events in their own life in chronological order - Place historical events in chronological order - Link local historical events to national and international events - Use vocabulary of time in conversations and in writing Cause and Consequence Pupils will develop the ability to: - Define the terms cause and consequence - Give an example of a cause and a consequence from an event in their life - Recognise one cause of a specific historical event - Recognise one consequence of a specific historical event - Recognise more than one cause of a specific historical event - Recognise more than one consequence of a specific historical event - Begin to make links between causes and consequences - Begin to show an understanding of different types of causes and consequences - Use the terms cause and consequence accurately in writing and in conversation Similarity and Difference Pupils will develop the ability to: - Recognise things which are similar in at least two sources - Recognise things which are different in at least two sources - Recognise similarities and differences in a range of sources - Group together sources which have the same information - Group together sources which contain different information - Begin to make suggestions as to why there might be such similarities and differences in sources - Begin to draw conclusions from these similarities and differences - Use the terms similarity and difference in writing and in conversation Change and Continuity Pupils will develop the ability to:
- Recognise how they and others have changed over time - Recognise features of themselves and others which have stayed the same - Recognise features of their lives which have changed - Recognise aspects of their lives which have remained the same - Compare an aspect of life across a given period of History, identifying how that has changed and what has remained the same - Compare an aspect of life across at least two periods of History, identifying what has changed and what has remained the same - Begin to suggest why changes take place and why things stay the same - Use the terms change and continuity in writing and in conversation Significance Pupils will develop the ability to: - Recognise that the term significance means importance - Select something of importance to them - Give a reason for why something is important to them - Select something that might be important to someone else but not to them - Explain why something might be important to an individual although not necessarily to them - Begin to understand what the term historical significance means - Give an example of an event or person which is historically significant - Begin to give reasons for a person or event being historically significant - Begin to use the term significance in writing and in conversation Interpretation Pupils will develop the ability to: - Recognise that a story can be an interpretation of an event, real or imaginary - Recognise that an opinion is a personal interpretation of an event or person - Recognise an interpretation of an event in a written or visual source - Recognise and accept that there can be different opinions of an event or person - Begin to give basic reasons for differences in interpretations of historical events and people - Begin to identify more complex reasons for differences in interpretations - Begin to recognise how and why interpretations can change over time - Begin to use the term interpretation in writing and in conversation. Curriculum Delivery Each class teacher is provided with a scheme of work from which they work in teaching the area of History relevant to their year group. All staff are also members of the History Association website and have full access to teaching materials to enrich the curriculum. The learning and teaching strategies employed in delivering the curriculum take into consideration the needs and abilities of the pupils in each class and as such
are differentiated accordingly and are chosen by the individual class teacher. Teaching and support staff, from EYFS to year 6, make use of a range of approaches including: - Using visual sources (photographs, film, paintings) to provide information on a specific person, place or event - Working in small groups to research a specific aspect of the History curriculum - Working in pairs to carry out research, present information, peer assess work - Use of story to introduce historical concepts - Use of conversation either on a one-to-one basis or with small groups, class group to develop ideas - Using written sources to support or challenge an idea from another written or visual source - Visits to external locations such as museums as part of research into a specific History subject - Asking questions of individuals either through a hot seating approach or of visiting speakers - Using artefacts to compare and contrast with life today - Games and songs used in history lessons Curriculum Organisation History is taught formally on a half-termly basis, alternately with Geography. More informal opportunities are also taken to bring History into the classroom if and when appropriate through such methods as: - Mentioning when History is in the news - Introducing the class to a specific source as a critical thinking activity - Use of historical vocabulary - Discussion of holiday and weekend activities where they have included an historical element - Comparing a current event to something similar in the past through general class conversation - Encouraging reading of historical novels eg: those of Michael Morpurgo by pupils Cross-Curricular Links The teaching of History at St. Ambrose utilises links with a number of other subjects and develops a range of more generic pupil skills in order to enhance the History curriculum and support general pupil progress in a range of areas. For example links are made with: Geography use of maps to identify specific areas of the world and of Britain to enable pupils to locate specific places mentioned in the study of History. Example: Rome in Italy and the growth of its Empire. Art use of visual images/paintings as a source in lessons but also as an example of the cultural aspect of societies which are different to the British. Example: Stone Age cave paintings and religious sculptures. Pupils creating items from the past and visual work.
Design and Technology used by pupils in constructing Ancient Civilisation houses, toys from the past, technology of the past eg: Roman technology, etc. Religion comparisons with the religions followed by specific groups of people in History eg: Viking, Roman and Greek gods; the rise of Christianity in Rome. Computing used for research and presentation purposes. History also helps to develop a range of other skills within pupils, contributing to pupil progress in such areas as literacy, social skills through group work and peer teaching, numeracy. Pupils consider such ideas as fairness and justice through their work in the subject, thereby contributing to the British Values agenda and are encouraged to take a critical approach to topics of discussion, reporting within the newspapers and on television. Pupils are encouraged to form, express and justify their own opinions through the study of History. Assessment of History Knowledge, Skills and Understanding Pupil assessment of their progress in History related to knowledge, skills and understanding takes place through question and answer sessions, written work and class discussions. Formal reporting takes the form of teachers providing a series of can do statements related to the skills and concepts developed in lessons. All staff are provided with clear expectations for their classes with regards to pupil development within History, ensuring that they can plan their lessons to allow for pupil progress across the year and also in readiness for the next year. Resources The resource base for History continues to be a work in progress. Staff often resource their lessons in the absence of a central resource base. It is our aim to develop a central resource base of materials for teachers and pupils to draw upon when teaching and learning History. External Links and CPD Through links with Liverpool Authority Education Department, Liverpool Museums and Liverpool Hope University s ITE History Co-ordinator we aim to keep up to date with developments in the teaching and learning of History. These links also enable us to draw on specific activities and input which helps to enhance the pupils History experience at St. Ambrose. For example, trainees from Liverpool Hope s Teacher Training courses will be working with pupils in delivering a range of History topics. Materials from these events will contribute to future curriculum development. Review The development of teaching and learning in History at St. Ambrose is a continual, ongoing process contributed to by all stakeholders and external agencies. The subject
co-ordinator regularly speaks to staff and pupils, in planning for the future. Feedback is also provided and shared with all staff from the termly History network meetings. This policy has been agreed and ratified by the Governors at a full Governing Body meeting in the Autumn Term 2017 and will be disseminated to all staff and parents. It will be reviewed in the Autumn Term 2018. Autumn 2017