History

History is the study of the past and helps us to shape the future.  At Godstone Primary and Nursery School we use Connected History to inspire the children’s curiosity through enquiry-led learning.

Intent

• Have access to a broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated history curriculum by fulfilling the Educational Programmes (EYFS) and National Curriculum (Y1-6) for history through engaging enquiry based lessons.
• To ensure that children have access to a high quality curriculum for history with experiential learning experiences.
• To ensure that children understand the concept of chronology and how we can develop each child to become a chronological thinker.
• To develop the children’s understanding and use of historical vocabulary.
• To provide the children with a set of skills, which they can apply to other subjects as they progress through the education system and into society as citizens.
• To enrich each child’s cultural capital through high quality teaching and fostering an interest in and understanding of history.
• To provide children with a pedagogy that is supportive and engaging and that will allow each child to make progress in history.

Implementation

• Use enquiry led learning through the Connected History schemes of work from years one to six.
• Planning is adapted from the Connected History schemes to fit the needs of the children and the locality of the school.  History is taught in three half-termly units is key stage one and key stage two.
• To monitor assessment linked to the enquiry skills.
• The EYFS includes historical skills and knowledge through Understanding the World and across the curriculum e.g. in Literacy and PSED.
• A variety of teaching and learning styles are used in history lessons, including discussions, presentations, representations, diagrams and images, research, visits, speakers, ICT and fieldwork.
• Visits, visitors and first hand experiences that promote curiosity and provide children with key knowledge on a range of topics.

Impact

• Connected History will provide all children with meaningful learning experiences that contribute to their cultural capital and understanding of events from the past and the impact that may have for the future.
• Clear and accurate assessment for history across key stage one and key stage two using the assessment tracker and through Development Matters in EYFS.
• Opportunities for developing teachers’ pedagogy and subject knowledge through the planning and resources provided.
• Providing children with a set of skills to embed a lifelong love of learning.
• Children have a contextual understanding of the past and how this has had an impact on the future.
• Improvement in children’s use and understanding of historical vocabulary.
• Teaching children new vocabulary to enable them to read further and encourage life skills in the future.