Curriculum Statement for History at St. Wilfrid's CofE Primary School
Intent:
At St Wilfrid's CofE Primary School, our intent is to ignite a passion for history in our students through a three-pronged approach of discover, explore, and create. With an exciting, coherent, relevant and broad curriculum, our aim is to engage the children with inquiries about people and events in the past to help them better understand their lives today, the contested nature of knowledge, appreciate the richness and diversity of our shared history, and prepare them for the future as more informed citizens. By fostering a love for learning about the past, we aim to develop a deep understanding, respect, and curiosity in our students.
Implementation:
We will achieve our intent by delivering high-quality history lessons that are closely linked to the core values of our school. Our curriculum is carefully sequenced to build upon prior knowledge and understanding, enabling pupils to tackle more complex historical enquiries as they progress. These high aspirations are identifiable in the progressive and increasingly challenging objectives and end points of learning detailed in the project plans, which define what the pupils will know, understand and be able to do. We provide pupils with the appropriate opportunities to build their substantive and disciplinary knowledge, master and apply subject concepts, skills and techniques and acquire the specialist language and technical terms to communicate their understanding effectively. We ensure that content coverage includes both in depth investigations of the events of specific periods in the past as well as overview enquiries which give a greater sense of the chronology of continuity and change in particular themes and dimensions such as British Empire. In addition, we have ensured that in each phase of learning there is a strong element of enabling our pupils to appreciate the historical significance of people, places and events in the Haywards Heath and wider Sussex area. Through cross-curricular connections, project-based learning, and a variety of resources including sources, photos, videos, and educational visits, we will provide engaging and immersive experiences for our students. Interactive history days will further enhance the learning process and bring history to life in a tangible way.
Impact:
The impact of our history teaching will be assessed through a combination of formative and summative assessments. Formative assessment will involve classroom discussions and peer-to-peer feedback, encouraging active participation and reflection. Summative assessments such as regular quizzes are used to review learning and check that children know more and remember more. Children create projects and presentations will provide opportunities for students to showcase their learning, skills and understanding of historical concepts. By monitoring and measuring the impact of our teaching practices through regular lesson observations, pupil voice surveys and book looks, we will ensure that our students develop a deep appreciation for history and its significance in shaping the world around them. Ultimately, our goal is for our pupils to engage with History in a meaningful way, fostering a lifelong curiosity about the world around them.
