The aim of history teaching here at Poverest Primary is to stimulate and inspire the children’s interest and understanding about the life of people who lived in the past. We engage children so that they are active learners and develop a sense of chronology and through this they develop  knowledge, a sense of identity, and a cultural understanding based on their historical heritage. Thus, they learn to value their own and other people’s cultures in modern multicultural Britain and  by considering how people lived in the past, they are better able to make their own life choices today.  In our school, through a broad and balanced curriculum, history makes a significant contribution to citizen education by teaching about the manner in which Britain developed as a democratic society. We teach children to understand how events in the past have influenced our life today; we also teach them to investigate these past events and by doing so, to develop the skills of enquiry, analysis, interpretation and problem-solving.

To ensure a depth and accuracy of learning which builds upon prior learning, all classes undertake weekly History lessons which follow the New National Curriculum  through a fully planned and spiralling/progressive History scheme. Please refer to the curriculum coverage document. We aim to encourage an enquiry focus as a starting point.

Assessment is both formative and summative. The summative assessment process offers criteria for children either working at, beyond or towards the age-related expectations. Greater depth children can be challenged to ensure that they are being given the opportunities to enrich their learning further. We plan to include regular memory retrieval activities that are suited to the different key stages, reinforcement of vocabulary that is pertinent to  History learning and opportunities to debate and Subject lead also delivers staff training every year.

 We aim to mirror the diverse backgrounds of our children through exploring diversity within history,  that engenders a sense of belonging and community, and that values every individual. 

The impact of our History teaching is evident in school life as whole – in pupils’ good behaviour, their attitudes to learning and their respect, care and understanding for and of, each other.

By the time children leave our school they will:

The objectives of teaching history in our school are:

• to arouse interest in the past and stimulate children’s curiosity into finding out more;

• to develop knowledge and understanding of how people lived in other times and how those times were different from today;

• to enable children to know about significant events in British history, and to appreciate how things have changed over time;

• to develop a sense of chronology;

• to encourage thinking about cause and effect, and how the past influences the present;

• to experience a range of representations of the past;

• to develop the ability to communicate historical knowledge in a variety of forms;

• to understand how Britain is part of a wider European culture, and to study aspects of European history;

• to have some knowledge and understanding of historical development in the wider world.

• to help children understand society and their place within it, so that they develop a sense of their citizen and cultural heritage;

• to develop in children the skills of enquiry, investigation, analysis, evaluation and presentation.

• be respectful, socially and morally responsible, active members of society appreciating difference and diversity 

Accordion content