Rowley Lane Junior Infant And Nursery School

History Curriculum

Intent

At Rowley Lane our aim is to deliver a History curriculum that inspires children to develop an appreciation and love of the past. We want our children to be curious about their local history, the history of the United Kingdom and the wider world. Our intention is to create curious historians who are enthusiastic about the past, ask thoughtful, perceptive questions and are able to use and reflect on a wide range of historical evidence to find out answers to their questions. We offer children a wide range of learning opportunities throughout the History curriculum in order to allow them to think and act like historians and to develop their skills and interest for the subject.

Implementation

Our Humanities curriculum yearly timetable is split between History and Geography. We teach 3 History units and 3 Geography units per year.

Each year group is given the opportunity to study the history is of our local area and this often creates valuable links between different subjects. It also enables children to reflect on their own lives, the lives of family members and the lives of others who have lived in the same location but at different times in history. As a result, children can appreciate their own identity and their own place in local history.

Through studying a variety of people, civilisations, societies, empires and significant events in the United Kingdom and world wide, children learn how their own lives have been shaped and influenced by the past. We consistently encourage our children to compare the lives of people from the past to our own lives today and we support children in the development of empathy and understanding for those who lived in different times.

Our History curriculum has been designed to cover all the skills, knowledge and understanding set out in the National Curriculum. Progression of skills and knowledge has been planned and is mapped out from Reception to Year 6 to enable to children to develop content knowledge, skills and vocabulary. EYFS focus on the Early Learning goals which are

To talk about the lives of people around them and their roles in society.
Know some similarities and differences between things in the past and now, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class.
Understand the past through settings, characters and events encountered in books read in class and storytelling.

The use of knowledge organisers promotes the importance of historical vocabulary in lessons and provides opportunities to discuss the meaning of new words. Additionally, they are used to introduce key facts and for revisiting prior learning. This revision enables to children to build on what they already know, allows them to make connections in their historical knowledge and empowers them to further develop their understanding and skills. Knowledge organisers assist in the development of children’s understanding of chronology through the use of timelines. Children are taught about various societies from different parts of the world who lived in the same time period so that they can compare them, make connections and find similarities and differences. Through an increased understanding of chronology, children can see the impact of cause and consequence of events in history.

Through quality first teaching, we ensure that all children are able to access the History curriculum. Our History lessons are structured and adapted to enable all children to be included in them. Children are encouraged to work collaboratively and all year groups allow for and promote group discussions, debates, critical thinking and reflection on what they have found out. Children are given opportunities to communicate their ideas in different ways.

It is vital that children learn about the past through a wide range of historical evidence. We provide our children with opportunities to look at artefacts from the past and enable them to use a wide range of primary and secondary sources so that they can ask insightful questions to further their love of and understanding of History. We encourage children to consider the sources critically and reflect on the purpose for which they were created. Children learn how sources can affect interpretations of the past and that these interpretations might differ. We encourage children to ask historically valid questions based on the evidence they study.

In addition to lessons, children have the opportunity to attend History club in Key Stage 2 where they are able to focus on a historical event or period that is additional to those covered in the National Curriculum. The aim is to foster a love of the study of History so that children are inspired to continue their own historical enquiries outside of school.

Educational visits in both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 give children the opportunity to learn about historical professions such as historian and archaeologist and opens their eyes to a historical future beyond their days at school.