History Curriculum
Our intent for history curriculum is to provide a rich and engaging curriculum that creates a deep understanding and appreciation of the past, develops critical thinking skills, and promotes a sense of identity and belonging within our pupils. We aim to empower our pupils to become curious and responsible citizens who can make connections between historical events and their own lives.
Our aims for history are:
1. To impart knowledge and understanding of key historical periods, events, and significant individuals.
2. To develop skills such as critical analysis, source evaluation, and chronological reasoning.
3. To nurture an enthusiasm for the subject and curiosity about the past.
4. To promote cultural awareness, empathy, and respect for diversity.
5. To enable pupils to reflect on historical events and their impact.
Our history curriculum is designed to be coherent, chronological, and ambitious. It is aligned with the National Curriculum, providing a broad and balanced coverage of different periods and themes in British and world history. We ensure progression by building on prior knowledge and skills, fostering a deeper understanding as students move through the years.
Lessons are carefully sequenced, introducing new topics through engaging stimuli such as primary and secondary sources, images, historical fiction, artefacts, visits and visitors. Cross-curricular links with subjects such as English, art, and geography are utilised to enhance learning experiences.
We employ a range of effective teaching and learning strategies to engage and challenge our students. These strategies include role-playing, enquiry-based learning, collaborative work, and the use of ICT resources. Our teachers facilitate thought-provoking discussions, encourage analytical thinking, and actively promote questioning and investigation. Visits to museums, historical sites, and inviting guest speakers are incorporated to enrich students' experiences and make learning relevant to real-life contexts.
To develop pupils' historical skills, we provide explicit teaching of concepts such as interpreting sources, analysing biases, and making reasoned conclusions. We embrace a variety of formative and summative assessment methods, including extended writing, presentations, projects, and quizzes, to check students' understanding and progress.
We have a strong commitment to inclusivity, ensuring that all students, regardless of their backgrounds or abilities, have equal access to the history curriculum. Differentiation strategies are implemented to cater to students' individual needs, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and those who are gifted and talented.
Differentiated tasks, scaffolded resources, and the provision of additional support ensure that all students are appropriately challenged and can achieve their potential. Support from Teaching Assistants during lessons and targeted interventions enable every learner to thrive.
The impact of our history curriculum is evidenced through the achievements, attitudes, and progress of our pupils. They demonstrate:
Our history curriculum contributes to the preparation of our pupils becoming active citizens with an understanding of the past. It equips them with the skills and knowledge they need to navigate an increasingly complex and interconnected world, allowing them to make informed decisions and actively participate in shaping the future.