Developing Young Historians
At Penponds our History Curriculum follows the National Curriculum. Our school ethos celebrates all aspects of school life and endeavours to provide positive experiences for all pupils. This is reflected in our values and vision statement.
At Penponds history is taught through our exciting and creative topics. Through history lessons children gain coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. They are inspired to know more about the past and the people who are significant in our lives today.
At Penponds we equip the children with the skills they need to become historians and find out about the past for themselves. This enables them to be able to ask questions, think critically, weigh evidence and develop their own opinions. Teachers will give the children the vocabulary they will need to enable them to be able to talk about history, this is planned to be progressive from EYFS up to Year 6.
We believe that children gain knowledge and skills not only through experiences in the classroom, but also with use of fieldwork and educational visits where the children learn about significant events, people and places in their own locality.
The History Lead is responsible for supporting colleagues in their teaching, keeping them informed of current developments in the subject, and by providing a strategic lead and direction for History including following the school’s robust system for monitoring and assessing Foundation subjects for History.
Our children are supported through our four school values – Curiosity, Creativity, Confidence and Caring- all embodied through our vision, ‘Aiming High and Achieving Our Best’ and our vision statement:
Penponds School will work with all stakeholders to create a happy, safe and stimulating environment where children become ‘Leaders of their own Learning’. By maintaining high expectations of the whole school community, our children will be equipped to become lifelong learners. We encourage curiosity about the world, strive to be creative in everything we do and build confidence in our children to enable them to grasp opportunities and tackle challenges with resilience and self-assurance.
We are historians
Agreed teaching principles for History:
- The agreed school timeline resources are used to support the teaching of chronology through the key stages. As a mixed-age school, teaching in chronological order is not possible, so the reference in chronology and timelines is vital.
- History is taught as a narrative that is retold in many ways
- A range of sources of evidence are presented to children
- Teachers plan using sticky knowledge organisers and sequence of learning documents to help organise intended outcomes that build on knowledge.
Teaching Approaches:
- Teaching of vocabulary and key sticky knowledge taught through retrieval/recall pedagogy
- Lessons begin with chronology recall including concurrent event/eras
- Concurrent events and cultures are identified using timelines
- Specific vocabulary, dates and names are taught and tested
- That chronological vocabulary is used consistently
- The use of artefacts in lessons to bring history alive
- Visits to relevant sites locally and nationally is key to children developing understanding and making links between today and the past
To be a historian I need to -
Question – ask and answer questions about people and events in the past
Make connections – link events and people in the past
Understand Chronology – Place events correctly on a timeline and know about concurrent events
Enquire – explain how significant events in history help us to understand the modern world
Use evidence – use artefacts, photos or recounts to find out about the past
