History
St James's approach
History helps pupils to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups.
► At St James's we focus on the chronological history of the United Kingdom from the earliest time to the present day, focusing on key events during the time periods studied.
In Key stage 2:
- Our children develop their methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used to form historical claims.
- Pupils also develop their own historical perspective, and use this growing knowledge in different contexts, understanding similarities and differences between different cultures around the world.
Curriculum
How is History Assessed?
Concept Cards
Each child has a ‘Concept Card’ in the front of their History Book. The key concepts covered relate exactly to our Progression of Knowledge and Skills documents for each year group. When a Concept is not achieved, the teacher will highlight the concept. Review tasks and teacher support are put in place to address any concepts that have not been achieved.
Progression of Skills and Knowledge
Our Progression of Skills and Knowledge documents inform our planning. The National Curriculum objectives are listed in each term and broken down into progressive steps. The objectives are mapped out for progression across the year. In History lessons, these objectives are broken down into microscopic steps, reflecting our mastery approach. We ensure that all of our children are secure on a step before moving onto another step.
Diversity in History
The great thing about learning history is that it helps to teach us what it means to be human. It highlights the great achievements and errors of significant people and the human race. History also teaches us through example, supporting our understanding of how we can better build our society for the benefit of all.
Today we study history in a modern multicultural environment, which allows us to examine how people may have been treated unfairly or differently in the past and raises awareness of how we can embrace the diversity around us now and achieve a more equal society. By teaching about different cultures, we can look at historical events from the viewpoint of more than one participant. This gives us all a greater understanding of the event itself and the attitudes and motivations of those involved.
At St James's we set clear rules during our history lessons with regard to how people behave towards each other and we highlight the importance of treating each other fairly. We make clear that our human past is there to learn from and what matters is how we can apply those lessons to the lives we choose to live today.
Our plan is linked firmly to the National Curriculum and enhanced by the variety that a worldwide view of history can bring, making the subject both educational and engaging for the children.
Enrichment in History
The History curriculum is both ambitious and accessible to all learners. To ensure opportunities for ‘memorable learning’, a range of workshops and trips are planned to support the learning that happens in the classroom. Trips include visits to museums, castles and other historic sites. See an overview of memorable experiences linked to History below.