"If you don't know your history, then you don't know anything. You are a leaf that doesn't know it is part of a tree".  Michael Crichton asserts

Intent of our History Provision

At Whitehouse Community Primary School, we aim to provide stimulating, exciting and creative historical learning experiences that are embedded within our enquiry curriculum. We believe that high-quality history lessons should inspire children to want to know more about the past and to think and act as historians. Through our cross-curricular themes, we aim to develop children’s appreciation and understanding of the past. Our historians will have an insight about how people around the world used to live and how interpretations from varying sources may differ. Pupils will be taught to make links between areas of learning, with the aim of developing engaged, motivated and curious learners that reflect on the past and make meaningful links to the present day. Through our spiral approach, we enable children to learn and apply a wide range of historical skills across a range of subjects both in and out of the classroom and develop their skills year on year. Our history provision also allows our children to develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding and to develop their ability to embrace challenging activities, learning to think, reflect, debate and discuss.

Implementation of our History Provision

Our History curriculum is taught using carefully chosen half termly enquiry themes and focusses on the progression knowledge and skills year on year. In every year group, a range of carefully written targets guide teachers to plan and assess children’s History learning. These targets may be taught through discrete History lessons or within other curriculum subjects such as writing projects in English or History themed guided reading texts. All History lessons are differentiated using our three-step learning objectives and gold challenges. History targets are displayed on the learning objective so children are aware of the skill they are developing. All pupils have a purple learning journal which is used to record enquiry based lessons, although History skills will also be evidenced within English writing and guided reading books, for example sequencing a Historical event before writing a recount.

In Key Stage 1, pupils develop an awareness of the past, using common words and phrases relating to the passing of time. They will begin to identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods and place them within a chronological framework. They should understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past. In Key Stage 2, pupils continue to develop a chronologically secure understanding of local, British and world history. They will note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms. They should understand how history is constructed from a range of sources. Teachers in all year groups are encouraged to use interactive activities to engage pupils with their learning, for example explorations of artefacts, re-enactments, hot seating and group presentations.

All pupils will have access to a wide range of resources. Themed reading books and artefacts are distributed from the school libraries and IPADs are available to be used as a research tool within lessons. Learning walls are used in every classroom to display key vocabulary and visual prompts to support and engage pupils with their learning theme.  Teachers are encouraged to plan as many educational visits, guest speakers or hands-on learning opportunities as possible to support and enrich the learning of history within their year group.

Impact of our History Provision

An increased historical awareness not only helps our children understand the past but also understand each other, creating our school’s positive and inclusive environment.

• Pupils have highly developed transferable knowledge, skills and understanding and are able to make connections between what they’re learning and the wider school community and world.
• High quality work is evidenced within learning journals and other topic based work. Sequences of lessons show progress of skills and knowledge.
• The outcomes of children’s work are displayed around the school. These cross-curricular displays stimulate curiosity and celebrate how our themes allow children to produce high-quality work.
• The spiral approach allows children to constantly consolidate and revisit historical knowledge and skills which boosts their confidence and creates a positive and engaging learning experience.
• Cross-curricular links in lessons build confidence, motivate pupils and supports them in making connections and remembering and applying the skills they have been taught.
• Teacher assessment, peer assessment and pupils’ self-assessment are used to track progress and attainment. Assessments are recorded and monitored on classroom monitor and analysed through pupil-progress meetings termly.