History

Intent

At Bidston Village C of E Primary School, our history curriculum is designed to allow pupils to gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. The curriculum focuses on pupils developing a sound understanding of the chronological narrative of history and understanding how past civilisations have lasting legacies that shape the present. It is our intent to deliver a curriculum that builds on previous learning and ignites children’s curiosity to explore, analyse and develop a wide range of historical skills when learning about the past. Planned progression of knowledge, skills and understanding throughout the primary phase, provides a pathway towards living fulfilling lives and contributing to society, through fostering their curiosity and encouraging them to ask perceptive questions. Through this learning about our past, children will gain an understanding of our present and future.

Implementation

History is taught termly throughout our school. In EYFS, children begin to foster an understanding and knowledge of their own life story, leading to exploring known figures in the recent past. From Year 1 to Year 6, The National Curriculum is taught in conjunction with Curriculum Essentials, which has enabled us to develop, plan and deliver a rich curriculum that ensures that skills and knowledge are built on year by year and sequenced appropriately to maximise learning for all children. It is important that the children develop progressive skills of a historian throughout their time at Bidston Village and do not just learn a series of facts about the past. In History, pupils find evidence, analyse it and, through integrating the Voice 21 Oracy framework, utilise effective discussion techniques to become analytical historical thinkers and reach their own conclusions.

Through the use of thought-provoking artefacts and resources, children are able to develop a good understanding of key historical vocabulary and use this to construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information. Visitors and educational visits are also woven into the curriculum to enhance and enrich learning. Our immediate and wider local area are steeped in rich historical links ranging from Viking influences across the Wirral, Port Sunlight- the innovative village built by the Lever Brothers, to the local air raid shelters in Bidston. It is the utilisation of the local area over a range of local studies that bring history to life for our children.

As historians, we also use cross-curricular links with Computing, Geography, Oracy and Reading to be able to research, interpret evidence, including primary and secondary sources, and have the necessary skills to present their points of view; a skill that will help them in their adult life.

Impact

By the time children leave Bidston Village they should have developed:

•  A secure knowledge and understanding of people, events and contexts from the historical periods covered.

• The ability to think critically about history and communicate confidently in styles appropriate to a range of audiences.

• The ability to consistently support, evaluate and challenge their own and others’ views using detailed, appropriate and accurate historical evidence derived from a range of sources.

• The ability to think, reflect, debate, discuss and evaluate the past, forming and refining questions and lines of enquiry.

• A passion for history and an enthusiastic engagement in learning, which develops their sense of curiosity about the past and their understanding of how and why people interpret the past in different ways.

• A respect for historical evidence and the ability to make robust and critical use of it to support their explanations and judgements.

• A desire to embrace challenging activities, including opportunities to undertake high-quality research across a range of history topics.