HISTORY
The History curriculum is one which encourages all children to develop an appreciation of the subject; to be curious about past event and how these are sequenced to fit within contexts and timelines, cultures and significant people. Adhering to the intent, breadth and balance of the National Curriculum, we use CUSP schemes of work to deliver a highly effective and engaging History curriculum. Children develop a knowledge and understanding which deepens and becomes progressively more ‘expert’ over time, enabling children learn and retain more, as well as promoting discussion which references and effectively makes links between topics taught. Through the curriculum, children will develop an appreciation of the impact of significant individuals and cultures throughout history and be able to make meaningful contrasts and comparison between these. The teaching of History draws on prior learning, as a foundation for contextualising and introducing new learning, using a broad and diverse range of topics. History is planned and delivered to promote the retention of knowledge. The cumulative nature of the curriculum is made memorable through the development, practice and use of retrieval skills, word building and deliberate practical tasks. This is designed to increase substantive knowledge and accelerate learning within and between the various topics studied; allowing learners to make appropriate connections as they study a range of modules that revisit, elaborate and deepen understanding of key concepts, events, people and places.
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The sequencing of lessons and development of skills ensures a deepening and interconnected understanding of the past. Specific and associated vocabulary is planned sequentially and cumulatively from Y1 to Y6, in such a way as to ensure children have a clear understanding of increasingly complex concepts and ideas.
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By the time children leave Paxton Primary school, they have a broad and varied understanding of a range of local, national, and global historic events. Children will be able to connect significant periods of history and be increasingly expert at building upon previous knowledge. Children will also be confident and able to talk about their learning using subject specific vocabulary. They will also demonstrate an enjoyment of history and ability to recall their learning and progression over time. They can exemplify this through producing work of high quality, which demonstrates children are acquiring knowledge, skills and vocabulary in an appropriate sequence, with strong progression being evident, over time. This is buttressed by an effective model of end of topic assessment, which is used to support both formative and summative assessment.