History
Statement of Intent: History at Theydon Bois Primary School
At Theydon Bois Primary School, we believe that history is a vital subject that ignites children's curiosity about the past, helps them understand the present, and equips them with essential skills for the future. Our history curriculum is designed to be engaging, inspiring, and challenging, fostering a love of learning about the past and developing critical thinking skills. We aim to provide a coherent and progressive learning journey from Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) through to Key Stage 1 (KS1) and Key Stage 2 (KS2), ensuring that children build upon their knowledge and understanding as they move through the school.
Curriculum Intent:
Our history curriculum is underpinned by the National Curriculum and reflects current Ofsted guidance, focusing on developing pupils' substantive knowledge, disciplinary knowledge, and conceptual understanding. We strive to ensure that our curriculum:
- Develops chronological understanding: Children will gain a secure understanding of British history and how it is interwoven with the history of the wider world. They will develop a chronological framework within which they can place their historical knowledge.
- Builds substantive knowledge: Pupils will acquire a rich and detailed knowledge of significant people, events, and places in the past. This knowledge will be carefully selected and sequenced to build progressively over time.
- Develops disciplinary knowledge: Children will learn to think like historians. They will develop skills in enquiry, analysis, interpretation, and evaluation. They will learn to use historical sources effectively, understanding their strengths and limitations. They will also learn how to construct historical narratives and explanations.
- Develops conceptual understanding: We will focus on key historical concepts (Big Ideas) such as change, continuity, cause and consequence, similarity and difference, and significance. These concepts will be revisited and deepened throughout the curriculum, enabling children to make connections and develop a more sophisticated understanding of the past.
- Fosters a sense of identity and belonging: We aim to teach history in a way that is inclusive and celebrates the diversity of human experience. We will explore different cultures and perspectives, helping children to develop a sense of their own place in history and an understanding of the world around them.
Implementation:
Our history curriculum is implemented through a variety of engaging and interactive teaching methods, including:
- Enquiry-based learning: Children will be encouraged to ask questions, investigate sources, and draw their own conclusions about the past.
- Source analysis: Pupils will learn to critically examine a range of historical sources, including written documents, artefacts, images, and oral histories.
- Role-play and drama: These activities will help children to engage with historical events and characters in a more immersive way.
- Storytelling and narrative: We will use stories and narratives to bring history to life and make it more accessible to children.
- Visits and fieldwork: Educational visits to historical sites and museums will provide children with valuable opportunities to experience history firsthand.
Knowledge Organisers:
A key feature of our history curriculum is the use of Knowledge Organisers for each topic. These documents will clearly set out the key concepts (Big Ideas), substantive knowledge, and vocabulary that children are expected to learn. They will provide a valuable tool for both teachers and pupils, supporting teaching and learning in the classroom and providing a resource for home learning. The Knowledge Organisers will:
- Outline the key learning objectives: They will clearly state what children are expected to know and understand by the end of the topic.
- Summarise the key substantive knowledge: They will provide a concise summary of the key facts, events, and people that children need to learn.
- Highlight key vocabulary: They will identify and explain important historical terms.
- Emphasise the key concepts (Big Ideas): They will explicitly link the topic to broader historical concepts, helping children to develop their conceptual understanding.
- Provide visual aids: They will often include images, maps, and timelines to support learning.
Assessment:
We will assess children's learning in history through a variety of methods, including:
- Observation: Teachers will observe children's participation in class discussions and activities.
- Work scrutiny: We will regularly review children's written work, including their source analyses, historical narratives, and responses to enquiry questions.
- Knowledge quizzes: These will be used to assess children's recall of key facts and vocabulary.
- Discussions: We will engage in discussions with children to assess their understanding of key concepts and their ability to think critically about the past.
Impact:
We expect our history curriculum to have a significant impact on children's learning and development. We aim to:
- Develop a love of history: We want children to be enthusiastic and passionate about learning about the past.
- Improve historical knowledge and understanding: We want children to acquire a rich and detailed knowledge of British and world history.
- Develop critical thinking skills: We want children to be able to think critically about historical sources and construct their own historical narratives.
- Prepare children for future learning: We want to equip children with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in further education and beyond.
This Statement of Intent will be reviewed regularly to ensure that it continues to reflect best practice and meet the needs of our pupils.