History in Action!
Intent
At Four Lanes Infant school we aim to provide a high-quality history education, which will enable children to develop a coherent knowledge and understanding of the history of significant people and events within Britain and the wider world. The childrens’ historical journey will be stimulating and enjoyable, ensuring that they develop a genuine love for the subject. Through an engaging curriculum, we aim to inspire childrens’ curiosities about the past. Effective teaching will equip children with historical skills and knowledge, enabling them to ask questions, think critically, weigh evidence, scrutinise arguments, and improve perspective and judgement.
Implementation
Our young historians begin their journey in the Early Years, where they are provided with experiences which enable them to develop skills of enquiry and critical thinking. By providing the children with the opportunity to discuss changes in their own lives and the lives of others they are familiar with, we set the foundations of chronology.
The history curriculum in Key Stage 1 (KS1) is based upon content outlined in the National Curriculum Programme of Study. It is taught through discrete lessons within an overarching topic following the six step historical enquiry model as suggested by HIAS. In each unit of learning, a key question drives the enquiry and promotes children’s progress, helping pupils to both understand the purpose for their learning and to reflect upon what they have learned and understood at the conclusion of the unit. The key substantive knowledge that will be taught within each unit is identified, as well as the disciplinary knowledge the unit of learning will develop. Key knowledge is then retrieved and recapped both within units and in subsequent learning, ensuring that pupils embed important knowledge more deeply. As new units are taught, links to previous learning are made, developing an understanding of chronology.
Through a carefully planned curriculum children learn about changes within living memory, events which are significant both nationally and globally, and significant individuals within history. We provide children with the opportunity to develop an understanding of how past events, and the actions and achievements of individuals, have had a significant impact on life in the past and the present day. Additionally through the use of school trips, rich resources and engaging lessons, our children develop an enthusiasm for historical learning, and are able to demonstrate what they have learned in different ways, such as talk, art, role-play, writing and using IT.
Impact
When pupils leave us at the end of KS1 they will: