History - Our Vision 

Our vision for our history learning is that our children will develop a curiosity about the past, gain confidence in connecting historical scheme and practising historical skills while developing an understanding for the chronological framework of key events in Britain, Europe, and the world while fostering kindness and tolerance as they learn about diverse histories.

Intent: 

Our high-quality history education at Meadowside Academy links to our curriculum vision of “nurturing curiosity, courage and kindness.” Through our teaching of history, we hope that our children will develop a curiosity in finding out about the past, develop courage and confidence in connecting historical schema and practising historical skills, and kindness and tolerance as they learn about people and cultures different to their own. 

Our history curriculum is guided by the following academic fingerprint, based on the aims and purposes of the National Curriculum for history: 

• Have secure knowledge and understanding of the past, on a local, national and global scale.  
• Have a coherent chronological understanding, be able to analyse sources and weigh evidence, and confidently enquire and ask perceptive questions about the past.  
• Become confident in their understanding of key historical concepts (disciplinary knowledge), including continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference, sources and evidence, interpretation, and significance.   
• Use their knowledge and understanding to make connections, create historically valid questions, and create structured accounts, including, but not limited to, written responses.  
• Grow in their curiosity and enthusiasm about the past and use this to understand the diversity of different cultures and societies, as well as their own identities.  

 Children with SEND, PP and EAL will be given the same opportunities as their peers, and teachers will use a range of methods and scaffolding techniques to support children in accessing the curriculum. 

Implementation

Early Years

• While History is not taught as a discrete subject in Reception, children follow the Early Learning Goal of Past and Present. Teachers use the Big Idea as inspiration, as well as following the children’s own interests. Stories are also used to teach about significant people, places and events in the past.

Curriculum

• Our History curriculum has been carefully sequenced to allow for both progression of substantive knowledge between years, and progression of knowledge within the year. Our History learning follows the Elevate Curriculum for Years 1-6, which fully covers the content of the National Curriculum. Historical threads make sure that key historical concepts, such as technology, are covered multiple times within the curriculum.
• Disciplinary Knowledge are planned within each topic, and Enquiry Questions are chosen to best allow for this disciplinary knowledge to be covered.
• History skills are also organised to allow for progression. Children gain experience in five skills areas – Chronological Understanding, Historical Knowledge and Understanding, Sources and Interpretation, Historical Enquiry and Organisation and Communication.
• Key vocabulary for each unit is planned for and mapped out in our curriculum. This vocabulary is shared with the children through knowledge organisers and classroom displays.

Teaching

• All teachers have a clear idea of the knowledge will be acquired and remembered by the children at the end of each unit. Unit Knowledge Organisers are used to share this with children and parents.
• Our curriculum is organised around Enquiry Questions, which give focus and purpose to the children’s learning.
• Teachers use retrieval activities every lesson, to assess the children’s understanding of key historical knowledge.
• Chronology is part of every topic that we teach. In KS2, our curriculum is organised in chronological order.
• Local history is found throughout the curriculum, allowing for regular visits in our local area. We aim for all children to access historical visitors and experiences, as well as school trips further afield.
• Teachers assess and adapt their teaching so that every child is able to access the history curriculum. Teachers use a range of teaching methods to support children in their class including focus groups, scaffolds, ICT support and pre-teaching.
• Children who show a passion and skill for history are identified, encouraged and challenged. Skilled questioning is used by staff to encourage higher-order thinking.
• ICT is used to support learning where appropriate. Children are given opportunities to research online, and to present their learning through word processing, videos and presentations.
• Students are given regular opportunities to learn about people and cultures very different from Britain, as well as the diverse histories found within Britain. Teachers are encouraged to adapt teaching plans to include the diverse cultures found in their class. As a school we celebrate Black History Month, Women’s History Month and Pride Month.

Assessment

Assessment for History is based on the key enquiry question for each unit. Teachers will assess using a range of methods. Teacher-assessed grades are given for History each term (3 times a year). Teachers use assessment to inform future planning and adapt their teaching for the needs of their class.

Impact

• By the end of their time at Meadowside, we aim for children to be curious and passionate historians with an ever-growing skill and knowledge set.  
• Outcomes in Humanities books evidence a broad and balanced curriculum, and demonstrate children’s acquisition of identified key knowledge and a progression of skills. 
• Moderation and book show a clear progression of skills developing through the year groups. 
• All children will make good progress from starting points in History, and are supported to reach their full potential. SEND, PP and EAL children enjoy a broad and personalised curriculum. 
• Children can talk about their learning with confidence and pride. They remember their history learning from previous years and are able to use this to support their current learning. 
• Children develop a secure knowledge of chronology, in both British and world history. 
• Children are able to effectively use age-appropriate historical vocabulary- Vocabulary gain becomes more than just a word list and supports teaching. Children use and refer to displays and knowledge organisers and incorporate key vocabulary in their discussion based and written work. 
• Assessment means that teachers have a secure understanding of their pupils’ progress in History, and are able to use it to support and challenge their pupils, as well as inform future planning. 
• Pupil voice shows that children have experienced a wide range of historical sights and museums, as well as visitors. Pupils can talk about how these experiences supported their learning. 
• Children understand and talk confidently about their local history.  
• Children are able to talk about a wide range of diverse perspectives and consider lives that are very different to their own. 
• Children are fully prepared to access and enjoy the KS3 curriculum when they leave Meadowside.