History Policy 2022 - 2023
History is an integral part of the curriculum at Seven Hills Primary School and is a subject area that enthuses, engages and inspires both teachers and pupils alike. By studying the past, pupils develop a deeper understanding of the present world around them and a greater sense of their own personal identity. In history lessons, pupils are provided with opportunities to discover, order, explore, investigate, question, analyze and evaluate the world before them, the world as it is now and the world as it will be in generations to come – skills that are essential for our everyday lives. Our teaching of history fires the children’s curiosity about the past in Britain and the wider world and plays an essential part in preparing them for living and working in the contemporary world, influencing their decisions about personal choices, attitudes and values.
Through our teaching of history at Seven Hills Primary School, we aim:
- To increase and develop children’s historical skills, concepts, knowledge and attitudes.
- To foster in children an interest in the past and an appreciation of human achievements and aspirations
- To learn about the significant events in the history of our own country and of the world and how these events may have influenced one another
- To understand how the past was different to the present and the people of other times and places may have had different values and attitudes from our own
- To develop children’s concept of time and chronology within which the children can organize their understanding of the past
- To have children gain knowledge and understanding of historical development in the wider world
- To help children understand diversity within society and their place in it so that they develop a sense of their cultural heritage
- To develop in children the skills of enquiry, investigation, analysis, evaluation and presentation.
Teaching and Learning
To ensure high standards of teaching and learning in history, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school. History is taught as part of a termly topic, focusing on knowledge and skills stated in the National Curriculum. A curriculum map has been devised in order to provide a framework for the history taught within our school as well as a long term history plan which is followed by all year groups. The periods of history that are studied by pupils in each year group have been carefully chosen to cover age-appropriate content and meet age-related expectations.
A variety of enriching teaching approaches are encouraged:
- Teacher presentations, role-play and
- Question and answer sessions, discussions, debates and individual and group research and presentations.
- Investigating artefacts, maps, photographs, paintings, recordings and other documents as sources of evidence
- Critical analysis and evaluation of sources of evidence
- Computing, interactive white board and internet resources, CD ROMs, TV and other visual and audio resources
- Cross-curricular links to immerse children in the history topic, e.g. through class text in English.
- Guest speakers, visits to museums and sites of historic interest and workshops
Pupils are encouraged to record their work in a variety of ways including written or verbal reports, through the use of ICT, art-work, or through drama and role play. Excellence in history is celebrated through class and school displays and certificates in our weekly assemblies.
Differentiation
To ensure that learning opportunities for all pupils are matched to their ability, teachers achieve this by:
- Setting tasks which are open-ended and can have a variety of responses;
- Setting tasks of increasing difficulty, some children not completing all tasks;
- Grouping children in mixed ability groups to allow pupils to support each other in the learning process;
- Providing resources of different complexity, depending on the ability of the child;
- Using classroom assistants to support children individually or in groups.
To promote greater depth learning, teachers are expected to:
- Provide teaching and learning experiences that encourage pupils to think creatively, explore and develop ideas and try different approaches. Children should be encouraged to set their own questions, offer ideas, suggest solutions or explanations and reflect on what they have heard, seen or done in order to clarify their thoughts.
- Greater independence in working, e.g. a pupil to be able to carry out their own simple historical enquiry.
- Provide real-life research and presentation opportunities, for example carrying out interviews with local people and collating the results.
- Encourage pupils to communicate their understanding in a variety of ways, giving them responsibility for choosing and evaluating the most appropriate method.
- Provide opportunities within history for pupils to develop their skills in other areas including technical skills, intrapersonal skills and interpersonal skills.
Monitoring
The monitoring of the standards of children’s work and of the quality of teaching in history is the responsibility of the history subject leader. This takes place regularly through the sampling of children’s work, the monitoring of long term, medium term and short-term planning, a book scrutiny, pupil discussion and interviews, and lesson observations. Photographs of activities, displays, visits, workshops and assemblies are kept as evidence. The work of the history subject leader also involves supporting colleagues in the teaching of history, being informed about current developments in the subject, providing a strategic lead and direction for the subject in the school, auditing and ordering resources when needed and attending relevant in-service training. A history action plan is continuously reviewed by the history subject leader throughout the year and by senior leadership at the start and end of each school year.
Assessment
Assessment is recorded against key statements for which pupils attain at, above or below the expectations for the year group. The results are used in reporting to parents at the end of the year and for data analysis for the subject leader and senior leaders.
Resources
We have a central library of non-fiction books organized into year groups and their history topics. During each topic, the relevant books are distributed to year groups and are used in class. Each term, further fiction and non-fiction books related to class topics are ordered from School Library Service by our Reading Subject Leader and placed in classroom libraries. Visits are planned to enhance learning of topics studied by children and give hands on activity. People with an interest, or expertise, in a particular topic or area of history will be invited into school to work with the children.
Health and Safety
Health and Safety must always remain an important consideration. History provides ideal opportunities for educational visits. When taking children out of school the normal school policies and procedures should be adhered to. (See Health and Safety Policy Educational visits). Safety and hygiene issues should be addressed in planning and in the general management of the classroom.
