At Saint Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, we endeavour to provide a high-quality History Curriculum which helps pupils to develop historical skills and an understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. The curriculum aims to inspire curiosity and equip pupils to engage with the world around them, ask questions, think critically, scrutinize evidence, cultivate perspective and draw conclusions. Children develop an understanding of chronology, changes over time, the impact of significant figures in history, understanding of other cultures and societies, as well as their own identity. There is a focus on improving the children’s understanding of how knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources as well as developing their use of historical vocabulary. Our History curriculum also promotes the development of reading, writing and verbal communication skills.
During their time at Saint Joseph’s, the Borough, children are provided with opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of historical events and concepts within the topic of study. In Key Stage 1 and 2, the knowledge and skills set out in the National Curriculum are taught explicitly. Resources from the Hamilton Trust are implemented to ensure that there are well planned sequences of lessons with clear, consistent and explicit outcomes. Topics are mapped out carefully so that there is clear progression in historical enquiry areas such as; daily life, homes, culture, conflict, belief and technology. Children participate in engaging and high-quality History lessons that are taught, across the school for one full term and one half term. One discrete lesson is timetabled, planned and taught each week. This is monitored by the Humanities subject leader. In addition, there are opportunities for children to apply what they have learnt through different cross-curricular areas such as Art, DT or Music which helps to develop creative, higher-order thinking as well as showcasing what the children have learned. Reading sources are used to strengthen children’s knowledge, understanding and use of topic specific vocabulary. In addition, this topic specific vocabulary and key concepts are provided to further develop children’s knowledge and understanding. The children actively engage with other sources to ask questions, think critically, and make observations and deductions. They develop their understanding of how historical interpretations are made of the past in topics such as The Stone Age and Iron Age, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Anglo Saxons in Britain, The Great Fire of London, World War Two and Black History. To enrich the curriculum further, trips and workshops are planned where possible. This may include trips to The British Museum, The Monument, The Museum of London, The Imperial War Museum, the Houses of Parliament, as well as local area walks.
The large majority of our pupils will be working at least at age-related expectations for their year group at the end of each school year in 2020 and a significant proportion will be working beyond these expectations. Formative and summative assessment ensure that children make progress and are challenged across the school. The History curriculum, focuses on both local and global history which provides the children with a greater understanding of the wider world, as well as reflecting the communities from which the children originate. The curriculum promotes diversity and tolerance, developing children’s understanding of other cultures and societies. We want them to challenge injustice and inequality, drawing on what they have learnt from History. We endeavour for the children to hone their own opinions and to voice them with an understanding of the complexity of the issues being discussed. The History curriculum will inspire children to look to the past, to better understand the present and to learn lessons for the future; a future they have the power to shape and change. We hope that the curriculum will create future historians, archaeologists, lawyers, politicians, writers and teachers.
