Intent

Children will be given a variety of opportunities to inspire their curiosity of the past by exploring and enquiring about what has happened in the past. They will be encouraged to think about why these events happened and more importantly what we can learn from them. For example, similarities and differences between different historical purposes. Children either working individually, in pairs or groups will develop key historical skills focusing on chronology, knowledge and understanding, historical interpretation, historical enquiry and organising and communicating their findings. Historical units have been designed to provide children with a coherent knowledge of Britain’s history and that of the wider world so that they can understand how history has shaped and effected the way we live our lives today. 

Implementation

Children are given opportunities to develop their historical understanding through our themed unit approach. Each unit has been carefully designed so that the children will then progress with their knowledge and application of vocabulary as they move up throughout the year groups. Skills linked to each unit are covered through carefully chosen units that will enable the children to develop and use the historical skills of chronology and inquiry and interpretation. Our aim is that by the time the children leave Year 6, they will have covered a wide range of historical skills and units to really get engaged and enjoy their learning.  All children at Barley Close Community Primary School will get the opportunity to go on various trips to develop local, regional and global historical experiences and links with other areas of the curriculum are embraced to provide a more meaningful learning experience.

 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 and in their learning logs. Lessons from Year 2 and up until the end of Key stage 2 are taught once a week usually 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.  Children are directed to a timeline to help them understand how each era fits into the past. 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 British History but the world. They will enjoy learning about the past and will be encouraged to ask their own questions which can be investigated and researched, through the exploration of different historical sources such as photographs of artefacts.  Children will be confident historical talkers and recount key historical events linking these to similar events they have previously learned about. As a result, children will demonstrate a variety of historical skills and understanding and are prepared to share what they’ve learnt in a variety of ways through using different medias. Children at Barley Close are passionate about history and ask questions to reason why making them ready for the next stage in their education. Pupils with SEND will achieve the best possible outcomes through personalised resources including visual aids, pre-teaching, overlearning by repetition and group work supported by their peers.