INTENT

At Everton Primary School, we believe History is an essential part of our curriculum; we don’t believe this is a stand-alone subject and is often taught throughout our English curriculum. Our intent is for our teachers to deliver the National Curriculum, promoting enthusiasm and curiosity so children have a real thirst for understanding of the past. Our belief is that children should understand, and respect, how the significant events and people in the past, have shaped the future, and has shaped their future. Our curriculum intends to make children aware of and understand local, national and international history. At Everton Primary School, our aim is to deliver a curriculum which gives children the confidence to understand the importance of equity and diversity in our world and to know events in the past which have shaped why this must be valued. We intend to create historians who value teamwork but who can also work with independence to explore primary and secondary sources of information to help them learn more about the past.

IMPLEMENTATION

As we have 4 mixed classes at Everton, our History Curriculum has been designed on a 2-year rolling programme. This is to ensure all National Curriculum is taught to all our pupils before they leave our school. We understand the importance of teaching the History curriculum in a chronological sequence and therefore, within Key Stage 2, the earliest time periods in History are taught in Year 3/4, moving closer to modern-day History in Year 5/6.

History is an essential part of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) as it is entwined into everyday learning. The historical aspects of the children’s learning link to the objectives set out in the EYFS Development Matters Statements and the Early Learning Goals (ELGs) relating to the area of Past and Present.

In Key Stage 1, children will begin by learning about 'within living memory', giving them the understanding that History is always being made. They will also look at local History for them to understand how their homes have been affected by people and events around them, giving them a sense of regional identity. They will start to look at History on a wider scale by looking at significant people and events from the past within this country and across the globe, beginning their understanding of equity and diversity.

In Key Stage 2, children will develop a chronologically secure knowledge of British, local and world History. Our children will be taught how to make connections, contrasts and trends over time. Some of the class novels our teachers read will link closely to History units, giving children a view of History through another person’s eyes. We will ensure children are given the opportunity to learn and really understand a range of vocabulary, through Revisit and Review sessions and give children opportunities to respond thoughtfully to their learning.

The way in which we implement our curriculum:

• The standards for History have been mapped out on our progression document, ensuring children year on year develop their chronological knowledge, range and depth of historical knowledge, historical interpretation and historical enquiry.
• History is not taught every week of each term; instead, it has been blocked into half-terms, terms where a particular key unit is taught (see progression maps and long term plans).
• Teachers use standards and break this down into smaller learning objectives; these are mapped out on Medium Term Plans, which develops sequential and cumulative learning and progression.
• In a history lesson, there will be: 1. Revisit and review, 2. Vocabulary development, 3. Teacher input (modelling), 4. Learning task and 5. Assessment of learning and review of the lesson.
• Within our lessons, a key component is to review previous learning, allowing children to understand their learning journey and giving them the confidence to be able to articulate their understanding and link learning together. Learning is reviewed in a range of ways: quizzes, games and mini assessments. Teachers also review through morning starter activities. This keeps learning refreshed and supports their long-term retention.
• Vocabulary is an integral part of our History curriculum; we believe it is crucial we give our children the language to talk like Historians, developing ambition to one day become a historian. All children are given knowledge and vocabulary mats at the beginning of each new unit; this shows the golden nuggets of information along with key vocabulary we want the children to know. This vocabulary is then driven throughout the unit, ensuring children have a clear understanding of it and are equipped to use it.
• Knowledge and vocabulary mats are also used as one assessment tool at the beginning, during and at the end of a unit of Historical learning so teachers can assess progression in knowledge and skills. Teachers also assess each lesson's Learning Objectives and will indicate if learning has required support or has been carried out with independence. Along with teachers assessing learning, children are also required to show independence by assessing their own learning.
• When a History unit is studied, throughout all classrooms, a learning journey is displayed, displaying a build up of knowledge and skills and allowing the children a key point of reference to review their learning.

IMPACT

The amazing Historians of Everton Primary School will (by the end of Year 6):

• Know and understand the chronological order of the important time periods in history.
• Know key dates, characters and events of time studied.
• Understand that events can be placed on a timeline in a chronological order and will use relevant dates and terms.
• Respect not everyone shares the same views and feelings, respectfully disagreeing with opinions, showing honesty, while still showing kindness.
• Know how to write an explanation of a past event.
• Know how to link sources and work out how conclusions were arrived at.
• Know how to check accuracy of interpretations.
• Understand different evidence leads to different conclusions and will show resilience when looking at a range of evidence.
• Know the difference between a primary and secondary source.
• Know how to use a range of sources to find out about an aspect of time past.

Our Progression Document, Long Term and Medium Term plans display the learning for each point throughout our History Curriculum.