History

Intent: What are we trying to achieve?

We have selected our History curriculum to enable our children to develop an awareness of significant events and individuals and recognise how things have changed over time. Through the topics studied, we encourage our pupils to confidently ask and answer historical questions through their own interpretations. At St. Edward’s Catholic First School, we support children to shape their understanding of chronology in each year group, using time-lines and developing a secure knowledge of History. As a Catholic school, our faith underpins our key teachings and pupils learn the importance of the history of our local area, including our own school and church. 

Implementation: How will we achieve this?

The History Curriculum at St. Edward’s Catholic First School is planned using the Kapow Primary scheme. It emphasizes the importance of historical knowledge being shaped by disciplinary approaches.  These disciplinary strands are interwoven through all of our History Units to create stimulating and enriching learning experiences which supports the children to investigate history as real historians do. We have selected to use Kapow’s scheme for the Autumn and Spring terms. Then we are embedding our own local history planning into the Summer terms to enhance the opportunities we have being based in Windsor. Each six-week lesson unit has a focus on chronology to allow the children to explore the period of time they are studying and make comparisons in other parts of the world. In Key Stage 1 children will develop their awareness of the past and will learn where people and events fit chronologically. The History Units are organised around an enquiry-based question and children are encouraged to follow the enquiry cycle (Question, Investigate, Interpret, Evaluate and Conclude, Communicate) when answering historical questions. At St. Edward’s Catholic First School, we alternate between geography and history on a half-termly basis. Therefore, three units of each are taught during the year.

As the children progress through the units, they will develop their understanding of the following key disciplinary concepts:

·        Change and continuity

·        Cause and consequence

·        Similarities and differences

·        Historical significances

·        Historical interpretations

·        Sources of evidence

The children will have many opportunities to learn how real historians use these skills to analyse the past and make judgements. They will confidently learn to develop and use their own historical skill set as well as opportunities in each lesson to recap and revisit previous knowledge and skills. 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. All lessons will be differentiated to ensure that they can be accessed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch and enhance pupils learning will be ongoing.

Impact: What difference will this make?

The impact of using the Kapow History scheme is monitored throughout the year through both formative and summative assessment opportunities. Each lesson includes opportunity to assess pupils against the learning objective through a skill catcher and knowledge assessment quiz. We strive to find out what works well for our children and will adapt the Kapow scheme to fit our children’s learning needs. Children at St. Edward’s Catholic First School are developing into enquiring learners who are encouraged to make balanced and informed judgements based on their knowledge of the past.

For further information about the national curriculum guidance for history, click the following link

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/239035/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_-_History.pdf