History

History at Cale Green Primary School

The Study of History at Cale Green Primary school gives our pupils the opportunity to gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. It inspires pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past, through the use of key enquiry questions. History helps pupils 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.

The teaching and learning of History is invaluable when delivering our central ethos, “Learning and Living Together.” Children are at the heart of our school, which is at the heart of our community. This is reflected in a History curriculum which has carefully selected themes, draws on local history, takes account of children’s experiences and the context of our school. It seeks meaningful enrichment activities and visits within the locality and uses high quality texts to support and enrich the history curriculum, whilst making links to other subject areas.

Through our coherent and sequentially organised long term plan, all children are given opportunities to investigate and interpret the past, understand chronology, build an overview of Britain’s past and that of the wider world, and to be able to communicate historically. Our history curriculum allows all children to develop their cultural capital and equips them with the skills and knowledge necessary for the next stage of education. It is aspirational in providing the best possible education, with teachers using a range of strategies to support and challenge all children at our school. Natural links to British values and discussions around being good UK and global citizens are threaded through the curriculum. Our history curriculum promotes the rich diversity of the world, Britain and an appreciation of our locality and our school context.

“The more you know about the past,

the better prepared you are for the future.”

The knowledge that the children are expected to learn at each Key Stage is carefully planned and designed across a 2 year rolling programme, with clear end points planned into the long term plan. Our theme overview ensures that, over the course of 2 years, all areas of the History national curriculum are taught. The overview ensures that the curriculum is taught coherently and sequentially, with children building on prior knowledge and experiences and allowing for key concepts to be embedded. Explicit links between themes are made, with children being encouraged to reflect on how their current learning builds on previous experiences and how they are being prepared for the next stage of their learning.

Historical skills have been progressively planned across the phases, with skills being closely matched to individual themes. The History Matrix of Key Knowledge, Skills and Vocabulary informs teachers weekly planning, ensuring that key knowledge, skills and historical vocabulary are being coherently and sequentially planned and taught across the key stages. Teachers carefully choose the key knowledge and enquiry questions they want to teach during a theme, along with the relevant vocabulary. There is high ambition for all pupils, and the school does not offer disadvantaged pupils or pupils with SEND a reduced History curriculum. Teachers carefully plan their lessons to ensure that all learners can successfully access the History curriculum.