History
The importance of History
History matters for every child, parent, guardian and teacher because history is all about people. The study of people of different types from different times and different places is so important. We are the result of a shared past that gives us a sense of local, regional and national identity. History fires pupil’s curiosity about the past in Britain and the wider world. Pupils consider how the past influences the present, what past societies were like, how these societies organised their politics, and what beliefs and cultures influenced people’s actions. As they do this, pupils develop a chronological framework for their knowledge of significant events and people. They see the diversity of human experience and understand more about themselves as individuals and members of society. What they learn can influence their decisions about personal choices, attitudes and values. Firmly rooted in historical fact, history encourages creativity, empathy and imagination. In history, pupils find evidence, evaluate it and reach their own conclusions. To do this, they need to be able to research, sift through evidence, and argue for their point of view – skills that are prized in adult life. History shapes us all.
Intent of the History Curriculum at Lakeside
At Lakeside we intend to deliver a history curriculum which allows children to…
- develop a curiosity and understanding of events, places and people in a variety of times and environments.
- develop an interest in the past and an appreciation of human achievements and aspirations.
- understand how the past was different from the present and that people of other times and places may have had different values and attitudes from ours.
- learn about the major issues and events in the history of our own country and of the world and how these events may have influenced one another.
- develop a knowledge of chronology within which the children can organise their understanding of the past.
- understand the nature of evidence by emphasising the process of enquiry and by developing the range of skills required to interpret primary and secondary source materials.
- distinguish between historical facts and the interpretation of those facts.
Implementation of the History Curriculum at Lakeside
History in the Early Years
In the Early Years Foundation Stage children learning history, as part of their topics, through a mixture of taught sessions and experiencing history concepts as part of their continuous provision. Children’s progress and achievements are assessed against the Early Learning Goals at the end of reception. To see how their knowledge progresses through the Early Years please click here.
History in Years 1-6
At Lakeside Primary we seek to create a broad and balanced curriculum. We adopt a topic based approach to learning and our History is taught through adapted units from the Cornerstones curriculum. Topics have been selected not just because they are engaging but because they effectively build up and reinforce substantive knowledge. In addition, they are delivered in an order which allows chronological understanding to be secured. When delivering a topic, we aim to develop and embed a secure knowledge of key features which will allow children to have a good understanding of the period and, at a later date, to then use this prior knowledge to make sense of new periods, events and societies.
Each unit starts with a memorable experience which excites, promotes and hooks children’s interest. During the projects, the children’s curiosity is stimulated through different tasks involving problem solving, creativity and communication which aim to develop new skills through a variety of interesting contexts as well as developing a rich and deep subject knowledge. Children are encouraged to understand the purpose and value of their learning, make links and see its relevance to their past, present and future. Different aspects of history are studied across the Key Stages within a coherent and progressive framework which explores the breadth and depth of the national curriculum.
Take a look at some element of our history curriculum below.
Websites to explore History further
www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/history/
Files to Download
