Intent

Children will be provided with a variety of opportunities to inspire their curiosity of the past by exploring and enquiring about a range of Ancient Civilisations and historical eras. Children will develop key historical skills focusing on chronology, knowledge and understanding, historical interpretation, historical enquiry and organising and communicating their findings. History units have been designed to provide children with both knowledge of Britain’s history and that of the wider world so that they can understand how history has shaped the way we live our lives today. 

Implementation

Children will develop their historical understanding through our unit approach and whole school overview. Each unit has been carefully designed so that the children will then build on their knowledge and application of vocabulary as they move up through the school. For example, making links when learning about the importance of gods and goddesses in both Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece.  

We have a continuous provision set up in EYFS and Year 1, which enables children to learn about history through their interests and curiosity and this learning is recorded on learning walls, floor books and in their learning logs. Children will record their learning in a variety of ways and work with partners and in groups. Children with SEND will be supported through adapted work, visual aids, pre-teaching, repetition and peer support.

Lessons from Year 1 onward are taught once a week alternating a term of History and a term of Geography lessons so that children can link their learning from week to week as well as in a greater context. In Key Stage 1, there is an emphasis on whether events/people are in living memory or beyond living memory and how we know that. In Key Stage 2, the Barley Close overview follows history chronology so that the children can understand how each historical era fits on a timeline. At the start of each unit, a title page that lists some key vocabulary will be stuck at the front of each child's Humanities book.

Impact

History enables children to develop an understanding of the past, not just in British History but also the world. Our aim is that all children will enjoy learning about the past and will be able to ask their own questions based on what they have learned. We hope that children will be able to talk confidently about historical events and eras and be able to make links and spot themes where appropriate.