History at North Wootton Academy
In learning to be an historian, our pupils will understand how to look at evidence from the past to understand how and why things have changed over time and how this influences our present day lives.
Intent
History plays a central role within the curriculum at North Wootton Academy and is fundamental to our wider school mission of creating ‘Leaders of Lynn’. King’s Lynn and Norfolk have enjoyed a rich history, and we feel it is essential that pupils have a clear understanding of this within the wider British and World context as a basis on which to develop pride in their community, their county and their country.
The 2014 National Curriculum for history aims to ensure that all children:
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Gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world which helps to stimulate children’s curiosity to know more about the past.
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Children should learn to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement.
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To begin to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.
Implementation
Historical skills are developed while following a mostly chronological progression through history, woven together with themes and concepts, including: invasion; invention; cause and effect; legacy; democracy, revolution and rulers; civilisations and empire; and important people, both in the UK and the wider world.
In addition, the school wishes the pupils to have a clear understanding of the town’s history meaning that local history is incorporated into topics wherever relevant and possible. If feasible, the history topics also link directly with other subject areas such as art and design, geography and English, as well as PHSE.
It is felt that this is key to ensure pupils have a clear understanding of where our past is a key element to understanding British Society today.
In line with our school values of TEAMWORK, we strive to create a supportive and collaborative ethos for learning by providing investigative and enquiry- based learning opportunities; moreover, within Key Stage 2, this subject often forms the context for our termly home learning projects in which pupils can further study an area of the subject that interests them the most.
In school, knowledge is recorded in a hierarchical way so as to include all learners. Lower ability children are encouraged to draw and label, whilst the more able are encouraged to write sentences to support their illustrations and the higher ability children use paragraphs and extended arguments.
History teaching focuses on enabling children to think as historians. We encourage the examination of historical artefacts and primary sources where possible and visits to relevant sites and museums. We encourage visitors to come into the school to talk about their experiences of events in the past. We recognise and value the importance of stories in history teaching and we regard this as an important way of stimulating interest in the past. We focus on helping children understand that historical events can be interpreted in different ways and that they should always ask searching questions, such as “how do we know?”, about information they are given.
Impact
Pupils’ accumulation of historical knowledge is assessed half termly through quizzes linked to core knowledge of each area. The school also uses rubrics on key skills linked directly to the enquiry skills needed to independently explore an area of history within an investigative project; evidence of this learning is recorded within the school’s online work samples and will be the basis of moderation within the year.
Curriculum Overview
History Overview - Reception to Y6
Key Progression
Whole School History Progression
Policy