History

"You have to know the past, to understand the present." (Carl Sagan)

Intent- Why is History so important?

At Arkwright Primary School we believe that History is an essential part of a broad and balanced curriculum.

We aim to:

Deliver an engaging curriculum which inspires our learners to be passionate about history
Develop historical knowledge, skills & subject disciplines
Revisit key concepts such as chronology, cause & effect, similarities & differences throughout their learning journey
Plan & teach history projects linked to the National Curriculum that produce authentic outcomes and purposeful learning
Provide opportunities for historical learning to be applied throughout the curriculum
Develop the concepts of our 10 Big Ideas through history

Implementation- How do we plan, teach and assess History?

We plan our history using Cornerstones Curriculum Maestro platform. Our history projects are well sequenced to provide a coherent subject scheme that develops our children’s historical knowledge, skills and subject disciplines. Key aspects and concepts, such as chronology, cause and effect, similarity and difference, significance and hierarchy, are revisited throughout all projects and are developed over time. All projects also develop historical skills based on evidence and historical enquiry. The choice of historical periods follows the guidance set out in the national curriculum, with specific details relating to significant events and individuals chosen to present a rich and diverse account of British and world history. Where there are opportunities for making meaningful connections with other projects, history projects are sequenced accordingly. All history projects are taught in the autumn and summer terms, with opportunities for schools to revisit historical concepts in some of the spring term geography projects. History is taught in project blocks and is linked to our English writing to build purposeful cross-curricular links. We formatively assess history through questioning, ‘Do Now’ retrieval practice challenges, marking and low-stakes quizzes which are then used to inform teacher assessments using the Curriculum Maestro platform.

EYFS

The history curriculum begins as soon as the children start school in the EYFS. Learning in history links to the EYFS Statutory Educational Programme: Understanding the world. The activities and enhanced provision in our early years curriculum provide opportunities for children to explore images and share stories that introduce them to people and events from the past and compare them with their own lives. Projects such as Me and My Community, Once Upon a Time and Long Ago include activities that support children to explore life in the past and discuss how they have changed since they were babies. They are introduced to vocabulary related to the passage of time, and they begin to order familiar events.

Key Stage One (Year 1/2)

Cycle A	Year 1 autumn term project: Childhood	This project builds on children’s past experiences, including their family history and events within living memory, and works well as an introductory project.
Cycle A	Year 1 summer term project: School Days.	This project enables children to learn the history of their school and compare schooling in the Victorian period.
Cycle B	Year 2 autumn term project: Movers and Shakers.	This project explores the concept of significance and the significant people that have greatly influenced history.
Cycle B	Year 2 summer term project: Magnificent Monarchs.	This project introduces children to the challenging concepts of power and monarchy in preparation for more complex historical topics in Key Stage 2.

The projects studied in Key Stage 1 provide numerous opportunities for children to explore significant historical events, people and places in their locality.

Key Stage Two (Year 3/4)

Cycle A	Year 3 autumn term project: Through the Ages.	This project teaches children about the significance of prehistoric periods and the changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age.
Cycle A	Year 3 summer term project: Emperors and Empires.	This project teaches children about the Roman Empire, its invasion of Britain and Britain’s ensuing Romanisation.
Cycle B	Year 4 autumn term project: Invasion.	This project teaches children about the Roman withdrawal and the invasion and settlement of the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings. This project concludes at 1066, which meets the guidance from the national curriculum for British history.
Cycle B	Year 4 summer term project: Ancient Civilisations.	This project enables children to learn about the achievements of the earliest civilisations, including ancient Sumer, the Indus Valley civilisation and ancient Egypt.

Key Stage Two (Year 5/6)

Cycle A	Year 5 autumn term project: Dynamic Dynasties.	This project enables children to study the significance and influence of ancient China and its prowess and advancements in the written word, technology and metalwork.
Cycle A	Year 5 summer term project: Groundbreaking Greeks.	This project enables children to explore life in ancient Greece, including examining the achievements and influence of ancient Greece on the western world.
Cycle B	Year 6 autumn term project: Maafa.	In this project, children explore a range of African kingdoms, including the Kingdom of Benin, and study Britain’s role in the development, perpetuation and abolition of the slave trade.
Cycle B	Year 6 summer term project: Britain at War.	This project enables children to study the role war has played in Britain’s history since 1066, focusing on the First and Second World Wars as crucial turning points in British history.