History

What makes a good History pupil at Holy Cross?

An awareness of, and interest in, the cultural richness which surrounds them at Holy Cross and a fascination with the diverse world which surrounds them. A strong knowledge and understanding of chronology, knowing the time between their units and where their unit of study fits on a timeline. The ability to research and question the reliability of sources. An understanding of causes and significance.

	History at Holy Cross
Intent
Our History curriculum inspires pupils’ curiosity, fascination and understanding about the life of people in both Britain and the wider world. We immerse and engage our pupils into the curriculum by giving them the knowledge and skills to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. We provide an innovative curriculum filled with memorable experiences, both in and out of the classroom to ensure that children enjoy their learning. Our curriculum has opportunities for pupils to develop historic vocabulary and share good quality texts to enhance history topics.
Implementation
High quality teaching is appropriately pitched to individuals and develops subject specific vocabulary. Children at Holy Cross are given the opportunity to develop a range of history skills: understand chronology, ask historical questions, explain events of the past, compare sources, gather evidence and question events, as well as using historical sources and resources. We follow a clearly sequenced and progressive program of study based on the National Curriculum objectives and skills ladder. Our history curriculum builds cultural capital of all individuals through visits, visitors and curriculum theme days to enhance history topics. Succinct assessment based on key milestones supported by the Rising Stars scheme ensures learning is well pitched and matched to individual needs. Purposeful written and verbal feedback is given to the child to help guide his/her progress.
Impact
High quality teaching is appropriately pitched to individuals and develops subject specific vocabulary. Children at Holy Cross are given the opportunity to develop a range of history skills: understand chronology, ask historical questions, explain events of the past, compare sources, gather evidence and question events, as well as using historical sources and resources. We follow a clearly sequenced and progressive program of study based on the National Curriculum objectives and skills ladder. Our history curriculum builds cultural capital of all individuals through visits, visitors and curriculum theme days to enhance history topics. Succinct assessment based on key milestones supported by the Rising Stars scheme ensures learning is well pitched and matched to individual needs. Purposeful written and verbal feedback is given to the child to help guide his/her progress.

History in the Early Years Foundation stage

The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum supports children’s understanding of History through the planning and teaching of ‘Understanding the World’ This aspect is about how children find out about past and present events in their own lives, their families and other people they know. Children are encouraged to develop a sense of change over time and are given opportunities to differentiate between past and present by observing routines throughout the day, growing plants, observing the passing of seasons and time and looking at photographs of their life and of others. Practitioners encourage investigative behaviour and raise questions such as, ‘What do you think?', ‘Tell me more about?', 'What will happen if..?', ‘What else could we try?', ‘What could it be used for?' and ‘How might it work?'

Use of language relating to time is used in daily routines and conversations with children for example, ‘yesterday', ‘old', ‘past', ‘now' and ‘then'.

How do pupils learn

Class timetables have been built to ensure a broad and balanced curriculum.
Subjects have been blocked in a spaced retrieval model to support catch up and to build the frequency of science and wider curriculum subjects. This maximises learning time.

Inclusion

Within History all pupils will take part in all the lesson sequences, but we need to be clear about the critical core content for pupils with SEND.

As part of the planning and preparation for the delivery of each block, teachers will need to consider how specific activities, or the delivery, may need to be adjusted to ensure that pupils with SEND are able to access the materials and participate fully in the lesson.

Pupils with language and communication difficulties (including those with ASD) may need additional visual prompts to help them understand what is expected of them. The task could be broken down into smaller, more manageable chunks and individual task boards used to demonstrate these.

Some pupils may have sensory sensitivities. For those pupils, adjustments may need to be made in order for them to access materials.

Pupils who have difficulties with tasks requiring fine motor skills may need appropriate adjustments to be made to enable them to access the task and / or in order to keep them safe.

Knowledge notes will also be chunked to ensure learners understand key content.

This will then lead to our assessment framework. Some pupils may show extended knowledge and be skilful with it from other lessons.