Intent

Our History Curriculum aims to inspire pupils to be curious and creative thinkers who develop a growing knowledge of local and national history and the history of the wider world. We want pupils to develop the confidence to think critically, ask questions, and be able to explain and analyse historical evidence. Through our scheme of work children will build an awareness of significant events and individuals in global, British and local history and recognise how things have changed over time.

Our history scheme aims to support pupils in building their understanding of chronology in each year group, making connections over periods of time and developing a chronologically-secure knowledge of History and its associated vocabulary. We hope to develop pupils’ understanding of how historians study the past and construct accounts and the skills to carry out their own historical enquiries. In order to prepare pupils for their future learning in History, our scheme aims to introduce them to key substantive concepts including power, invasion, settlement and migration, empire, civilisation, religion, trade, achievements of humankind, society and culture. The history scheme of work enables pupils to meet the end of Key stage attainment targets in the National curriculum and the aims also align with those set out in the National curriculum. 
 

We want children to enjoy learning about history by not only gaining knowledge and skills through experiences in the classroom, but also through well planned educational visits to places of historical interest and living history workshops.

Implementation

We have chosen The Kapow Primary scheme to implement our history curriculum. The scheme emphasises the importance of historical knowledge being shaped by disciplinary approaches. These strands are interwoven through all our history units to create engaging and enriching learning experiences which allow the children to investigate history as historians do.

Each unit has a focus on chronology to allow children to explore the place in time of the period they are studying and make comparisons in other parts of the world.  Over the course of the scheme, children develop their understanding of the following key disciplinary
concepts:

• Change and continuity.
• Cause and consequence.
• Similarities and differences.
• Historical significance.
• Historical interpretations.
• Sources of evidence.

These concepts will be encountered in different contexts during the study of local, British and world history. Accordingly, children will have varied opportunities to learn how historians use these skills to analyse the past and make judgements.  Substantive concepts such as power, trade, invasion and settlement, are introduced in Key stage 1, clearly identified in Lower key stage 2 and revisited in Upper key stage 2, allowing knowledge of these key concepts to grow. These concepts are returned to in different contexts, meaning that pupils begin to develop an understanding of these abstract themes which are crucial to their future learning in History. The Kapow scheme follows the spiral curriculum model where previous skills and knowledge are returned to and built upon. For example, children progress by developing their knowledge and understanding of substantive and disciplinary concepts by experiencing them in a range of historical
contexts and periods.

Impact

Pupils will:

• Enjoy their learning in History
• Use sources and artefacts to learn about life in the past, historical bias and gain an understanding of the role of archaeologists and historians.

• Develop the ability to think critically and analytically
• Be able to explain different interpretations for historical events and form their own perspective and judgement of these. 
• Gain a deep knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world.
• Develop a historically-grounded understanding of substantive concepts - power, invasion, settlement and migration, civilisation, religion, trade, achievements of mankind and society.
• Use historical vocabulary relating to the passing of time, key events and significant people
• Develop an appreciation of the culture and attitudes of societies other than their own.
• Meet end of stage expectations outlined in the National curriculum for History at the end of Key stage 1 and 2
• Learn to reflect on their progress towards mastering key skills in History