History

Our Intent

At Southwark, we want our children to love history. We want them to have no limits to what their ambitions are and grow up wanting to be archivists, museum curators, archaeologists or research analysts. Through the teaching of History, we stimulate all children’s interest and understanding about the life of people who lived in the past. We teach children a sense of chronology, in order to develop a sense of identity and a cultural understanding based on their historical heritage. This enables our children to learn to value their own and other people’s cultures in modern multicultural Britain. We aim to make all children aware of the actions of important people in history and enable children to know about significant events in British history, whilst appreciating how things have changed over time. History will also ensure our children understand how Britain developed as a society, contributing to their understanding of their country of residence. Furthermore, our children will learn about aspects of local, British and Ancient history. Learning not only about how societies have changed over time but how the political This wider awareness leads to the children having some knowledge of historical development in the wider world. We believe that by allowing the children to understand the importance and enjoyment of History through different opportunities, they will become enthused learners in History. In History at our school, we will also give children opportunities to develop their skills of enquiry, investigation and analysis

EYFS

The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum supports children’s understanding of History through the planning and teaching of ‘Understanding the World’. This aspect is about how children find out about past and present events in their own lives, their families and other people they know. Children are encouraged to develop a sense of change over time and are given opportunities to differentiate between past and present by observing routines throughout the day, growing plants, observing the passing of seasons and time and looking at photographs of their life and of others. We encourage investigative behaviour and raise questions such as, ‘What do you think?', ‘Tell me more about?', 'What will happen if..?', ‘What else could we try?', ‘What could it be used for?' and ‘How might it work?' Use of language relating to time is used in daily routines and conversations with children for example, ‘yesterday', ‘old', ‘past', ‘now' and ‘then'

KS1

In KS1, History begins by looking at the children’s own personal history and introduces them to the idea of chronology and timelines. History will look at significant events and people who have shaped society, locally, nationally and globally.

KS2

In KS2, each year group studies aspects of local history, a British history topic and an ancient history topic. UK history is taught chronologically to allow children to confidently place each time period; starting from the earliest date right up to the current day. This allows pupils to consistently build on previous knowledge and learning by placing previously taught History topics on a timeline.

To support children in their ability to know more and remember more, there are regular opportunities to review the learning that has taken place in previous topics as well as previous lessons. At the start of each topic children will review previous learning using the ‘rewind’ and ‘fast forward’ approach. Children are also given a knowledge organiser at the start of each topic which details some key information, dates and vocabulary. This is used to support children with their acquisition of knowledge and is used as a reference document. All children are given opportunities, to study artefacts leading to enquiry, investigation, analysis, interpretation, evaluation and presentation. We also plan for effective use of educational visits and visitors, to enrich and enhance the pupil’s learning experience and the History curriculum. Teachers use highly effective Assessment for Learning at different points in each lesson to ensure misconceptions are highlighted and addressed. Effective modelling by teachers also ensures that children are able to achieve their learning intentions, with misconceptions addressed within it.