History Curriculum

Intent

The history curriculum at Pepper Hill School is bespoke to meet the needs of our children.  It follows the National Curriculum as a basis for its content and framework.  The generic key historical concepts of continuity and change, cause and impact, similarity, difference and significance run through our curriculum.  Children develop their chronological knowledge and progressive historical vocabulary that enables them to confidently express their understanding of the past.  Enrichment opportunities are added by year group teachers to spark interests of their cohort.

Through their mastery of our history curriculum, children will develop coherent knowledge and understanding of key aspects of Britain’s past, and that of the wider world.  This will provide a foundation of knowledge that will help them understand how the world came to be as it is today.  The children will have learnt to think critically, evaluate evidence using a wide range of primary and secondary sources, and develop perspective and judgement; all key skills needed to become a historian as well as a good citizen of the world.

History topics have been carefully selected to build on previous learning and encourage the children to make links between learning.  We use four key themes throughout the school that ensure the children’s learning is revisited, compared and contextualised.  The curriculum has been designed to link to the local area where possible, such as Bletchley Park and its role in World War 2.

Implementation

Our whole school approach to the teaching and learning of history involves the following:

• History is taught in weekly 2 hour lessons. Lessons are planned using topic packs provided to teachers to ensure key knowledge and skills are clear.
• Four key themes thread throughout the curriculum to create opportunities for children to make links between their learning.
• Connect 4s are completed at the start of lessons to assess prior knowledge and identify gaps in understanding which can be addressed before moving on.
• History topic themed days organised at least once per year.
• Visits organised to significant places in History.
• Topic boxes of artefacts used to enhance teaching.
• Enquiry questions answered at the end of each topic.
• Vocabulary glossaries built and added to throughout the school.
• CPD Insets provided to teachers to ensure high quality subject knowledge.
• Whole school celebrations for present day historical events
• Annual whole school themed week to signify Black History Month.
• Annual whole school assembly to commemorate Remembrance Day.

Impact

Our history curriculum is planned to demonstrate progression year on year. In addition, we measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods: 

• KWL grids completed for each topic
• Monitoring of books
• Pupil voice
• Learning walks
• Staff surveys
• Evaluation of enquiry question