Intent

As a thriving, aspirational school, our History scheme aims to inspire our pupils to be curious and creative thinkers, who develop a complex 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. We aim to build an awareness of significant events and individuals in global, British and local history and recognise how things have changed over time. History will support our children to appreciate the complexity of people’s lives, the diversity of societies and the relationships between different groups; our children can then reflect on these and think about their own lives and the impact they are making. Studying History allows children to appreciate the many reasons why people may behave in the way they do, supporting children to develop empathy for others while providing an opportunity to learn from mankind’s past mistakes.

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.

Implement

In order to meet the aims of the National curriculum for History and in response to the Ofsted Research review into History, our scheme is based upon the following key strands: Substantive knowledge strands (Topic knowledge, Chronological awareness, Substantive concepts) and Disciplinary Strands (Historical enquiry and disciplinary concepts).

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 six-lesson 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. Children will continue to develop their awareness of the past, knowing where people and events fit chronologically and build a ‘mental timeline’ they can refer to throughout their learning, identifying connections, contrasts and trends over time.

Impact

Our units are organised around an enquiry-based question and our children are encouraged to follow the enquiry cycle (Question, Investigate, Interpret, Evaluate and conclude, Communicate) when answering historical questions.

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. They will confidently develop and use their own historical skill set. As children progress through the school, they will create their own historical enquiries to study using sources and the skills they have developed.

Substantive concepts such as power, trade, invasion and settlement, are identified in Lower key stage 2 and revisited in Upper key stage 2 (see Progression of skills and knowledge) allowing knowledge of these key concepts to grow. These concepts are returned to in different contexts, meaning that our children can begin to develop an understanding of these abstract themes, which are crucial to their future learning in History.

Lessons are designed to be varied, engaging and hands-on, allowing children to experience the different aspects of an historical enquiry. In each lesson, children will participate in activities involving disciplinary and substantive concepts, developing their knowledge and understanding of Britain’s role in the past and that of the wider world. Children will develop their knowledge of concepts and chronology as well as their in-depth knowledge of the context being studied.