History
Intent
History has always been held in high regard at Lanner, with the school’s location having its own rich mining history. At Lanner, we plan our curriculum through carefully selected fiction and non-fiction texts. These texts form the basis for our history topics, which align with the National Curriculum (2014), and are sensitive to children’s interests, as well as the context of the local area. The History curriculum at Lanner makes full use of resources within the immediate and wider local area, enabling children to develop a deep understanding of the rich history of their locality. Our History curriculum is carefully planned and sequenced to ensure that current learning is linked to previous learning and that knowledge, skills and understanding are built upon. We have placed units of study in particular year groups, based on cross-curricular links and the complexity of concepts taught within them. Our staff are passionate about the teaching of history and this can be seen in the classroom. As a school, we are constantly developing our enquiry skills.
In line with the National Curriculum (2014), the curriculum at Lanner aims to ensure that all pupils:
- Gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world which helps to stimulate pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past;
- Are encouraged to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement;
- Understand the importance of enquiry skills, when learning.
- Begin to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.
Key Historical Concepts
We believe children should explore key concepts as they move through the school. Our curriculum is laid out in such a way that the children will initially learn about their immediate history, that being their family and location. This will be a starting block in EYFS and built upon as they enter Key Stage 1. Once this is consolidated, they will gain a wider experience of global history. As a child moves through our school, their historical knowledge and understanding will deepen as it would have been built on the foundations laid in the previous years. The concepts that children explore are revisited in different units allowing children to apply new knowledge to the concept in order to prepare them for future learning and life.
Implementation
History at Lanner is taught throughout the year, so that children can access regular teaching. By the end of Year 6, children will have a secure understanding of British history from the Stone Age to the present day. They are able to draw comparisons and make connections between different time periods and their own lives. Interlinked with this are studies of world history, such as the ancient civilisations of Egypt. Wherever possible, cross curricular outcomes in history are specifically planned for, with strong links between the history curriculum and English lessons enabling further contextual learning. The local area is also fully utilised to achieve the desired outcomes, with extensive opportunities for learning outside the classroom embedded in practice. Planning is informed by and aligned with the national curriculum. Our curriculum has been carefully pieced together, working collaboratively with our partner schools in the MAT, drawing on areas of expertise and breaking each curriculum area down into small sequential steps. We start at an end point, using the national curriculum to lead the learning objectives as well as ensuring full coverage is met. Our highly skilled staff here at Lanner, have then carefully weaved the sequential steps of learning together with the class book for that half term. Consideration is given to how greater depth will be taught, learnt and demonstrated within each lesson, as well as how learners will be supported in line with the school’s commitment to inclusion. Outcomes of work are monitored to ensure that they reflect a sound understanding of the key identified knowledge. Within our knowledge-rich approach, there is a strong emphasis on people and the community of our local area.
Impact
Outcomes are generally seen in the learning journey books, demonstrating evidence of a broad and balanced history curriculum. Children review their successes in achieving the lesson objectives at the end of every session and these skills and knowledge are reviewed at the start of every new lesson. Emphasis is placed on analytical thinking and questioning which helps pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world and are curious to know more about the past. Through this study pupil learn to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement.
By the end of a pupil’s time in Lanner, we want our children to:
- Be able to sequence key periods of British and world history in chronological order using dates.
- To use a timeline to give information about a period of history (e.g. plot key developments across a period of local history) or a theme (e.g. plot key developments of a theme, like transport, across periods of history).
- To recognise and offer plausible explanations for similarities and differences between the lives of people living in different periods of time.
- To explain why significant events happened and why people behaved as they did, and can understand the consequences, including those for the present day (e.g. conflicts, inventions and other advances).
- To evaluate historical sources based on reliability and bias.
- To ask and answer questions by selecting from a range of sources (both primary and secondary) to gain a clearer understanding.
- Can debate different interpretations of people and events and demonstrate an appropriate understanding of different points of view.
- To know and can use with increasing accuracy words and phrases relating to time and chronology (i.e. all of the Year 1/2 and Year 3/4 vocabulary).
- Understand that there are overlaps and relationships between different periods.
- To know key aspects and facts about more periods of local, British and world history.
History vocabulary progression