History

Intent

At Park Mead Primary School our intent is that our History curriculum develop independent thinkers, who are excited and inspired by the past. They understand that their decisions and actions play a part in shaping the future. By the end of Key Stage 2, we want our children to be able to use a wide range of historical sources to ask and answer questions about the past and be able understand the limitations of different types of resources. Our aim is that our teaching of History helps children develop their knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. We aim to enable children to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence and develop perspective and judgement. We give children opportunities to develop their skills of enquiry, investigation, analysis to inspire children’s curiosity and fascination about the history of the world and its people.

Implementation

The key knowledge and skills of each topic have been identified, and consideration has been given, to ensure progression throughout the school. We ensure that through the use of timelines, children are able to contextualise their learning and begin to draw comparisons and contrasts through periods of time. Children are given the opportunity to use historical artefacts, books and ICT to support their discoveries.
Through our History topics, we ensure our children understand how Britain developed as a society, contributing to their understanding of their country of residence. We enable our children to learn to value their own and other people’s cultures in modern multicultural Britain by teaching them a balanced and culturally diverse curriculum.

At Park Mead Primary School, we aim to make all children aware of the actions of important people in history and enable children to know about significant events in British history, whilst appreciating how things have changed over time. Through the teaching of History, we teach children to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, and the diversity of societies. This includes how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world, which helps build an understanding of a shared British and world history.

They work individually and as part of a team to present their findings orally, in writing, through Art, DT, ICT and role-play/drama. As the children move up through the school, they are given opportunities, when studying particular topics, to present home learning projects to their teachers and peers.

Impact
The impact of this curriculum design leads children to be enthusiastic history learners, evidenced in a range of ways, including pupil voice and their work. Children’s work is evidence of a broad and balanced curriculum were knowledge and skills are built on year by year.

Through studying history in Park Mead Primary School, children learn to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. Children at Park Mead Primary School are curious and fascinated about the history of the world and its people, and have a coherent understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world.