LHPS History Curriculum Design

Guiding Principles

We want our children to Appreciate, Aspire and Achieve. We are committed to providing a History Curriculum designed to teach the essential knowledge and skills in historical enquiry and chronological understanding to develop mastery in History. It aims to instil an enjoyment of historical study and enquiry in order for them to gain a clear understanding of British, local and world history. It will provide a systematic approach to the study of history so that all children have coherent chronological and historical understanding.

Core Beliefs

Appreciate

Aspire

Achieve

A History Curriculum that develops every child’s ability to appreciate, care, respect and understand themselves, others and the world in which they live. A curriculum that also ensures that every child feels valued and cared for.

A  History Curriculum that provides a range of opportunities, designed to empower every child to ‘dream big’ and develop a sense of what is possible for them to achieve now and in their future lives.

A  History Curriculum that ensures all children have the skills, knowledge, attitude and social understanding to achieve in all aspects of their lives  and equip them to become active and engaged citizens.

Curriculum

Approach

Our mastery approach to lesson design is based upon our strong knowledge of pedagogy and our understanding of our children’s needs. This ensures that each lesson maximises both learning and our core beliefs of Appreciate, Aspire and Achieve.

In History, our aim is for all children to develop an enjoyment of historical study, which develops children’s curiosity in order to gain a clear understanding of the past (and present).

Teaching is underpinned by an enquiry-based approach using deeper level thinking questions to bring History to life by taking starting points from children’s prior knowledge. Children are encouraged to explain and show what they already know before being given the opportunity to develop their own enquiry questions. These then inform future planning and learning in history.

History is taught in mixed ability groups as we believe all children can achieve.  Using this approach, all children are exposed to some higher-level thinking questions and problem-solving as well as having the opportunity to collaborate and develop a growth mind-set through working with their peers.

Teachers reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in History.  All staff use a reflective approach to each lesson to evaluate learning and to plan next steps for all.

History begins in Foundation Stage through an Early Years curriculum that explores children’s own lives and experiences of people and places. Children continue to develop their learning of History in Key Stage 1 by acquiring a more secure awareness of the past; using common words and phrases related to the passing of time. Through whole class, group and independent tasks children will know where the people and events they study fit within a chronological framework.  Children are articulate in explaining and justifying their thinking by using a wider vocabulary of everyday historical terms. Children also begin to use sources to show what they know and understand about key events. They begin to understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is presented.  

As the children progress through Key Stage 2, they build on their previous learning by continuing to develop a chronologically secure knowledge of British, local and world history. Through their Historical Learning Challenges they regularly pose questions which lead into developing an understanding of methods of historical enquiry. Lessons taught give children the opportunity to explore evidence, contrast arguments and interpretations of the past in order for them to construct their own informed responses and ideas. Children then understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources. 

Children are also given the opportunity to show their depth of knowledge and understanding through learning connections with other subjects. Differentiation is achieved through personal challenge and encouraging children’s individual flair and interpretation within their independent work. 

Across the school, experiences involving historical study include well-planned trips across the local area and themed days, which further encourage children’s enjoyment in the subject. Members of the wider Lunt’s Heath family and local community are encouraged to come into school and share their own knowledge and experiences of past events. These opportunities allow children to put their learning into context and further inspire their curiosity to know more about the past.  

We provide high quality professional development to ensure that we are always improving the quality of our teaching so that this impacts upon children’s learning. All our teachers engage in collaborative planning and are continually seeking to improve their subject knowledge of history to ensure that lessons delivered are of the highest quality.

Impact

Children’s knowledge, understanding and progress across all subject areas as well as their desire and ability to learn will be measured using a range of qualitative and quantitative strategies including: information from book scrutiny, performance data measured from their individual starting point, lesson observations, drop ins, all stakeholder voice, collaborative research, use of external critical friends and self / peer evaluation.

By the time a pupil leaves Lunt’s Heath Primary School in Year 6, they will be confident in communicating their knowledge of British History and that of the wider world constructing informed responses that involve thoughtful selection. They will be able to address and devise historically valid questions about change, cause and significance and clearly understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.