INTENT

Learning about History at Heatherside encourages our children to ask questions and relate their historical knowledge to the world in which they live. We aim to inspire children to be keen historians for life, examining a range of evidence critically and evaluating how it has changed our interpretations of the past. By linking their learning to a range of topics, children have opportunities to investigate and interpret the past, understand chronology and build an overview of Britain’s past as well as that of the wider world.  As well as developing their knowledge and understanding of people, events and contexts, children develop their ability to think critically about history and communicate ideas confidently for a range of purposes. They are encouraged to think, reflect, debate, discuss and evaluate the past by formulating and refining questions and lines of enquiry.

IMPLEMENTATION

At Heatherside, enquiry-based learning is at the heart of our History curriculum. There is a clear progression of historical skills and knowledge across the school as outlined in our progression of skills documentation. All topics begin with an exciting hook to entice and motivate children to learn as a historian. Children are then supported to collect and interpret information in a range of ways before concluding their findings by creating a final project. Through the topics, children are encouraged to place historical events on a timeline, and we have recently designed and installed a custom-made timeline across our stairwells to embed the idea of chronology, overlap and duration across the school. This includes many elements of the children’s learning at KS1 and KS2, as well as a local history thread. Our library is a valuable resource in fostering a love of history where the children can be signposted towards historical fiction, fostering further opportunities for breadth in their historical experiences and allowing them to evaluate whether historical events are portrayed accurately. We have a rich programme of trips, visitors, drama and immersive experiences to add depth to the children’s historical understanding, and we use a variety of artefacts to provide opportunities to ask questions and consider the concepts of change and continuity. We have a whole school History Week every other summer term in which the children study the history of our local area through a “History Mystery”. In Y3/4, the children look at the history of their local county through the study of the Mary Rose. In Y5/6, the children delve deeper into their skills as a historian by examining a range of sources such as maps, census returns and newspaper to consider the possible reasons for the demolition of Dinorben Court, which was located across the road from our school’s current location.  The children’s history books move with them throughout the school. This enables them to reflect on their previous learning and to consider how there may be links and connections between different areas of their studies. Each topic includes a “bridging lesson” which is structured to help the children to draw out these connections and differences, both in terms of the historical knowledge and the skills they are developing.

IMPACT

Children at Heatherside will be enthusiastic historians, and relish the many and varied opportunities to find out about the past. They will be well prepared for a future of asking questions, evaluating evidence and understanding that people have good reasons for a different point of view. They will be reflective learners and confident communicators, and they will continue to learn for life.