History

Children will:

• gain knowledge and understanding of the past, to enable a greater insight into the world and the community in which we live
• understand the process of change over time and significant developments.
• think critically, ask and answer historical questions whilst examining the validity and reliability of sources

At Saint Ambrose, we are HISTORIANS:

• Topics are blocked to allow children to focus on developing their knowledge and skills, studying each topic in depth.
• We have developed a progression of skills with each year group, which enables pupils to build on and develop their skills each year.
• In order to support children in their ability to know more and remember more, there are regular opportunities to review the learning that has taken place in previous topics as well as previous lessons.
• At the start of each topic children will review previous learning and will have the opportunity to share what they already know about a current topic.
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• Effective CPD and standardisation opportunities are available to staff to ensure high levels of confidence and knowledge are maintained.
• Medium term planning for all units will cover key historical concepts: Chronological understanding, Historical knowledge, Historical interpretation, Historical enquiry and organisation and communication.
• Children are given opportunities, where possible, to study artefacts leading to enquiry, investigation, analysis, interpretation, evaluation and presentation.
• We plan for effective use of educational visits and visitors, to enrich and enhance the pupil's learning experience and the History curriculum.
• Teachers use highly effective Assessment for Learning at different points in each lesson to ensure misconceptions are highlighted and addressed.
• Effective modelling by teachers ensures that children are able to achieve their learning intentions, with misconceptions addressed within it.
• Through using a range of assessment tools, differentiation is facilitated by teachers, to ensure that each pupil can access the History curriculum.
• Children are given clear success criteria in order to achieve the Learning Intention with different elements of independence.
• Pupils are regularly given the opportunity for Self or Peer Assessment, which will then be used to inform planning, preparation, differentiation and address misconceptions within that lesson, or for the next lesson.

EYFS

The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum supports children's understanding of History through the planning and teaching of 'Understanding the World'. This aspect is about how children find out about past and present events in their own lives, their families and other people they know. Children are encouraged to develop a sense of change over time and are given opportunities to differentiate between past and present by observing routines throughout the day, growing plants, observing the passing of seasons and time and looking at photographs of their life and of others. Practitioners encourage investigative behaviour and raise questions such as, 'What do you think?', 'Tell me more about?', 'What will happen if..?', 'What else could we try?', 'What could it be used for?' and 'How might it work?' Use of language relating to time is used in daily routines and conversations with children for example, 'yesterday', 'old', 'past', 'now' and 'then'.

The impact of this curriculum design will lead to at least good progress over time across key stages relative to a child's individual starting point and their progression of skills. Children will therefore be expected to leave Saint Ambrose reaching at least age-related expectations for History. Our Historical curriculum will also lead pupils to be enthusiastic history learners, evidenced in a range of ways, including pupil voice and their work.