History

History Intent

At Hormead, our history curriculum is designed to allow pupils to gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. The curriculum focuses on pupils developing a sound understanding of the chronological narrative of history and understanding how past civilisations have lasting legacies that shape the present.

It is our intent to deliver a curriculum that builds on previous learning and ignites children’s curiosity to explore, analyse and develop a wide range of historical skills when learning about the past. Planned progression of knowledge, skills and understanding from year 1 to year 4, provide a pathway towards living fulfilling lives and contributing to society, through fostering their curiosity and encouraging them to ask perceptive questions. Through this learning about our past, children will gain an understanding of our present and future.

Our History curriculum has been created with cultural capital at the forefront of our minds, so that our children are exposed to historical events which link to the many different cultures within our school, as well as those events explored within the National Curriculum. Key historical events, such as Black History Month, are taught throughout the school to ensure children at Hormead have a comprehensive understanding of political, racial and social developments throughout time.
 

History Implementation

As Hormead school was founded in 1815, and in its current building since 1846 our school provides a wealth of history for our children. From time to time, we dig out the old archives and display them for all to see - there are some fascinating items in the school logs, especially since many of the families featured are still based in the local area, and some of the children attending today descended from them. We use our surrounding areas to support our teaching of History and have recreated historical days such as potato picking like the children would have done on the local farmland many years ago.

At Hormead, we have chosen to use 'Kapow History as our inspiration for planning sequential lessons where children build their skills and knowledge within the following key strands of History:

• Topic Knowledge
• Chronological awareness
• Substantive concepts
• Historical enquiry
• 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 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. In EYFS, children explore the concept of history by reflecting on key experiences from their own past, helping them understand that they each have their own histories. Then, they engage in activities to compare and contrast characters from stories, including historical figures, deepening their understanding of how individual lives fit into broader historical narratives. Children will further develop their awareness of the past in Key stage 1 and will know where people and events fit chronologically. This will support children in building a ‘mental timeline’ they can refer to throughout their learning in Key stage 2 and identifying connections, contrasts and trends over time. A timeline is used regularly in our History lessons to develop this chronological awareness.

In EYFS, the units taught focus on the history related Development Matters statements. In Key Stage 1 and 2, units are organised around an enquiry-based question where we encourage our children to follow the enquiry cycle; Question, Investigate, Interpret, Evaluate and conclude, and Communicate.

Throughout their time at Hormead, children will 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.  Children will have varied opportunities to learn how historians use these skills to analyse the past and make judgements. As children progress through their time with us at Hormead, 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 introduced in Key Stage 1 and clearly identified in Key Stage 2. These concepts are returned to in different contexts so that all children begin to develop an understanding of these abstract themes which are crucial to their future learning in History. Previous skills and knowledge are returned to and built upon throughout the pupils’ time with us at Hormead to develop their knowledge and understanding of substantive and disciplinary concepts by experiencing them in a range of historical concepts and periods.

At Hormead, we teach History in a variety of methods to engage and provide hands-on experiences for 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.

Knowledge organisers are created for each unit to support pupils in building a foundation of factual knowledge by encouraging recall of key facts and vocabulary which are referred to throughout each lesson. Here are a couple of examples of Knowledge organisers for each year group.

History Impact

When our children leave us in year 4, we want them to have developed a range of skills and knowledge to study History with confidence when they move to middle school and into Key Stage 3. They will be enquiring learners who ask questions and can make suggestions about where to find the evidence to answer the question. They will be critical and analytical thinkers who are able to make informed and balanced judgements based on their knowledge of the past.

By the time the children leave us, they will be able to:

• Know and understand the history of Britain, how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world.
• Develop an understanding of the history of the wider world, including ancient civilisations, empires, non-European societies and the achievements of mankind.
• Develop a historically-grounded understanding of substantive concepts - power, invasion, settlement and migration, civilisation, religion, trade, achievements of mankind and society.
• Form historical arguments based on cause and effect, consequence, continuity and change, similarity and differences.
• Have an appreciation for significant individuals, inventions and events that impact our world both in history and from the present day.
• Understand how historians learn about the past and construct accounts.
• Ask historically-valid questions through an enquiry-based approach to learning to create structured accounts.
• Explain how and why interpretations of the past have been constructed using evidence.
• Make connections between historical concepts and timescales.
• Meet the relevant Early Learning Goals at the end of EYFS (Reception) and the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National curriculum for History at the end of Key stage 1 and 2.