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History

Our Curriculum Intent

Subject Leader: Mr Ellis

Our History curriculum aims to give pupils:

A lasting knowledge of:

  • People, events, situations and developments
  • Chronology and characteristic features
  • A wide range of historical vocabulary

An ability to:

  • Engage in historical enquiry
  • Organise and communicate their knowledge and understanding effectively

A deep understanding of:

  • Evidence (sources)
  • Different interpretations
  • Cause and consequence
  • Change and continuity
  • Similarity and difference
  • Significance

Through our teaching we aim to:

  • Help pupils to develop a moral understanding of our past
  • Inspire pupil’s curiosity
  • Motivate pupils to want to study the subject - nurturing a lifelong engagement with History
  • Give them a sense of identity

What do our pupils think it means to be a Historian?:

Developed by our Yr6 pupil 'History Heroes Club' 2023

Please click below for a copy of our History Policy

How is our History curriculum planned?

Early Years Provision

Activities and experiences for pupils are planned according to the areas of learning and development, as outlined in the latest DfE EYFS Framework. All activities will adhere to the objectives set out in this framework. In particular, history-based activities will be used to develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the ‘Past and Present’.

Years 1 to 6 Provision

History is taught as a discrete subject, although links are made with other subjects wherever possible (click here to view these links in our Curriculum Overviews). Each class covers three topics per year (see our topic overview below). Each topic includes enquiry questions focusing on specific disciplinary knowledge and encouraging the children to think like historians (please see our progression of knowledge and skills document below). When planning, all teachers consider the needs of the pupils in their class, including those with SEND, and make adaptions based on these needs. Our plans reflect our local context, particularly in the case of the local history studies in Years 2, 3 and 6.  Pupils' learning is enriched through visits, visitors, history walks and educational workshops, inspiring pupils' curiosity to want to find out more about the past. There are also opportunities for flexibility in relation to pupils' interests and also in response to current events and anniversaries.

 

 

We have produced Knowledge Organisers for each of the History topics covered by pupils. These include 'sticky knowledge' that we want pupils to remember from each unit of work. They also include a list of key vocabulary that will be covered and Key Stage 2 pupils (Years 3 to 6) are asked to write the definitions of each word as they are taught. You may like to refer to these Knowledge Organisers to find out more about the content covered in each class.

 

 

TEACHING APPROACHES

  • All topics start with a ‘hook’: This includes enquiry questions, visitors, visits, looking at artefacts, photographs etc.
  • All planning uses an enquiry approach, encouraging pupils to think and work like a historian and turning learning into a puzzle to be solved. This includes using primary sources and artefacts to answer historical questions.
  • Teachers plan one visit, or visitor, every term to consolidate and enhance learning (click here for our Visits and Visitors overview).
  • Teachers routinely recap on work covered to help pupils retain key substantive knowledge. This includes the use of low stakes quizzes.
  • All pupils complete summative ‘Key Assessment Tasks’ at the end of their unit of work linked to their enquiry question. This helps inform ongoing teacher assessments of attainment and progress.

Local Historical Places of Interest

You may wish to visit the following places with your child-

EYs

Local places of interest:

  • Fassnidge Park
  • Uxbridge Library and local museums
1

My Family History: House on the Hill Toy Museum

Toy Collection:

The Greatest Explorers:  National Maritime Museum

Significant People - Little People, Big Dreams book series by Isabel Sánchez Vegara:

https://littlepeoplebigdreams.com/

2

The Great Fire of London Monument

Museum of London - 1666 Collection

3 Iron Age Roundhouse: Chiltern Open Air Museum
4

Egyptians:  The British Museum

Verulamium Roman Museum and Amphitheatre

5 Anglo-Saxon Sutton Hoo Artefacts:  The British Museum
6

WW1 and WW2: Battle of Britain Bunker (Uxbridge)

Uxbridge War Memorial

Imperial War Museum (London)

Useful Websites - Class Topics

English Heritage: 'A Day in the Life' video series -

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/members-area/kids/kids_videos/

EYs

Family and Festivals: CBeebies Festivals

1

My Family History - BBC Bitesize Childhood Through Time

The Greatest Explorers - BBC Bitesize 'Exciting Explorers'

Great Inventions - Transport: Air Travel Video Clip

2

Bonfire Night: CBBC Bonfire Night

The Great Fire of London: Great Fire of London game

Holidays: Magic Grandad

Our Local Heroes: Hillingdon Local Characters

3

The Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages: BBC Bitesize Prehistoric

Stone Age History Mysteries: YouTube

4

Roman Britain: BBC Bitesize Roman Britain

The Ancient Egyptians: British Museum Collection

Virtual Fieldtrip to the Pyramids

Crime and Punishment: BBC Bitesize Crime and Punishment

5

Journeys: Windrush Generation

The Anglo-Saxons: BBC Bitesize Anglo-Saxons

The Vikings: BBC Bitesize Vikings

6

The Maya: BBC Bitesize Maya Civilisation

The Ancient Greeks: BBC Bitesize Ancient Greece

The Impact of WW1 and WW2 on Uxbridge: Battle of Britain Bunker

WW2 'Bomb Sight' website showing bomb sights in Hillingdon 

'A Street Near You' website showing WW1 casualties in Hillingdon