History

“We are not the makers of history. We are made by history.” Martin Luther King JR
 
The aim of history teaching here at Evenwood C of E Primary School is to stimulate the children’s interest and understanding about the life of people who lived in the past. We teach children a sense of chronology and through this they develop a sense of identity, and a cultural understanding based on their historical heritage. Thus they learn to value their own and other people’s cultures in modern multicultural Britain and, by considering how people lived in the past, they are better able to make their own life choices today.
 
Teaching and Learning in History
In order to effectively explain each of our subject areas, key documentation is established by the subject leader and shared with all relevant teaching staff. This documentation includes:
  • The Subject Policy
  • The Subject Long Term Plan with key learning
  • The Progression Document for the disciplinary knowledge
  • The medium term planning and resources created by the subject leads.
These documents collate, and clearly outline the expectations, coverage and implementation of the history curriculum.
Subject leadership Documentation
In addition, subject leaders are required to monitor the effectiveness of their subject throughout each academic year. In order to do this with effect, the following documentation is updated regularly.
  • Subject review – an audit of the subject is completed annually RAG rating the effectiveness of the subject identifying subject priorities.
  • Subject Action Plan – Developed using the School Development Plan priorities and the end of year audit to establish next steps as we continue to strive to improve each subject area.
  • Monitoring Cycle –Our Learning Enquiry approach ensures the monitoring of Histroy. Our carefully scheduled book looks, learning walks, planning/resource checks, pupil voice and staff voice. All findings are collated; feedback is shared and next steps are actioned. Planning and resource checks are completed at the start of the unit by the History team to ensure no learning is lost.
 
Delivery of History
Our History curriculum is taught every other week. This is to ensure sufficient coverage so that the knowledge and skills are taught. Retrieval of key learning will take place weekly.
 
Teaching approaches (Supported and developed by the History Association) https://www.history.org.uk/primary/module/3657/primary-teaching-methods

  • Oracy using strategies from Voice 21
  • Use of historically accurate texts (written by historians)
  • Asking and answering questions
  • Drama and debating
  • Using maps and timelines to secure an understanding of place within time.
  • Use of thinking maps to develop an understanding of details before answering detailed questions
 
Lesson content
In support of foundational understanding of History, key components of lessons have been established in conjunction with teaching performas to support class teachers with consistent delivery lesson-by-lesson.
These key components history lessons will include:
  • Subject statement –  As each History lesson commences, children will be reminded of the definition of the subject – “The study of a series of past events connected to a person, place or thing.”
  • Reference to skills of a Historian – Children are reminded of key skills that are commonly used in this subject area i.e. reasoning, sequencing, interpretation, creative thinking and information processing.
  • Timeline Chronology – To support chronological understanding, each lesson will reference the place in time of the current unit/ event in comparison to other time periods and the present day.
  • Key vocabulary – Relevant and focused vocabulary for the lesson are shared, discussed and defined with support of teachers encouraging clear and purposeful discussion throughout.
  • Core 10 strategies –  Evidence based, high quality teaching strategies are employed where appropriate encouraging modelling, retrieval strategies, accurate assessment and purposeful reflections by learners.
Performance and Learning Evidence
Evidence collation is key to support the learning process and the monitoring of teaching and learning by subject leaders and senior leaders. In order to evidence History effectively, the following strategies have been implemented:
  • EYFS – Tapestry and through conversations with teachers.
  • Year 1 –History floor book is acceptable evidence in Autumn, individual history books for the summer term.
  • Year 2 to Year 6 – Individual history books and end of unit quizzes.
As per our Marking and Feedback policy, adults are encouraged to formatively assess throughout the entire learning sequence, ensuring proactivity and responsivity to the needs of all children. This feedback can be verbal or written feedback.
The Class Teacher assesses children after each unit based on the knowledge and skills they have demonstrated over time with a focus on the progress they have made. This process uses evidence from the child’s history books, conversations with the child and observations within the lessons. In the last lesson of the unit, the children will complete an ‘end of unit quiz’ that has been developed by the subject lead that is directly in line with the key learning for the unit of work. This enables the Class Teacher to make judgements on whether the child is working towards age-related expectations, working at age-related expectations, or exceeding age-related expectations for that unit of history.

Name and linkInformation
History todayHistory today
National ArchivesNational Archive
Teaching History with 100 objectsTeaching History with 100 objects
History through booksHistory through books - Reading for Pleasure