History at Holbrook

INTENT

We aim to kindle a curiosity about past lives and cultures. We will inspire critical thinking skills, with children asking questions about the past and showing a keen interest in finding answers. Our pupils will develop a strong sense of chronology, ensuring that they know their own place in history and that they discover how elements of British and World history are interlinked. Our children will understand how history has shaped the world in which we live and the cultural identities of our school community. We will ensure pupils develop the skills of enquiry and investigation through the analysis and evaluation of primary and secondary sources. We aim to provide opportunities for children to visit places of historical significance to enhance their understanding of the past.

IMPLEMENTATION

History teaching at Holbrook School is active, vibrant, investigative and fun. By immersing children in history topics, we aim to stimulate and support their understanding of the subject and their ability to communicate their learning to others. In order to develop knowledge, skills and understanding in history, we use a variety of teaching and learning styles. We recognise the fact that we have children of differing ability in all our classes, so we provide suitable learning opportunities for all children by matching the challenge of the task to the ability of the child. We achieve this through a range of strategies that may be adapted by task, expected outcome and/or support from peers or adults. We provide opportunities for pupils to work independently or collaboratively. Progression documents have been drawn up in collaboration with staff to ensure regular opportunities for retrieval and review. Children are encouraged to make meaningful links and comparisons to people, periods and themes covered in previous year groups. In order to make these links meaningful, staff have drawn-up a list of key vocabulary and concepts to highlight and discuss. The assessment of children’s learning is on-going and is used to ensure that misconceptions are addressed and activities adapted appropriately to extend learning and sharpen enquiry skills. Feedback is given to the children at point of learning, and marking is guided by the school’s Feedback Policy. We believe children learn best when they have access to, and are able to handle artefacts and a range of secondary sources such as books, maps, photographs and other historical documents. We invite visitors who can talk about personal experiences of the past so that the children can listen to and interact with stories from, or stories set in the past.

IMPACT

Children leave Holbrook with a good knowledge and understanding of Britain’s history and that of the wider world, as well as the historical skills to understand the past. They will have visited a number of places of local and national historical interest. Children confidently talk about people, events and periods of history they have learnt about, and comment on how these have had an impact. They are able to use primary and secondary sources and make inferences about the past from these, understanding that perspective can affect the evidence.