History
Understanding about our own past, and about the history of our world is very important to us as it allows us to recognise who we are. At Hunwick we aim to provide our children with a great understanding of times gone by, by using artefacts, visits to historical sites, interactive lessons and fantastic teaching. Should you be in a position to support the learning of children, through personal experiences or with artefacts etc., please speak to your child’s class teacher or Miss Smith.
At Hunwick Primary School we aim:
- to foster in children an interest in the past and to develop an understanding that enables them to enjoy all that history has to offer
- to enable children to know about significant events in British history and to appreciate how things have changed over time
- to develop a sense of chronology, especially within British history.
- to teach children that events happened simultaneously across the world and how civilisations developed at different rates.
- to know and understand how the British system of democratic government has developed and, in so doing, to contribute to a child’s citizenship education
- to understand how Britain is part of a wider European culture and to study some aspects of European history
- to have some knowledge and understanding of historical development in the wider world
- to help children understand society and their place within it, so that they develop a sense of their cultural heritage
- to develop in children the skills of enquiry, investigation, analysis, evaluation and presentation.
WHAT DOES MY CHILD LEARN?
Following the National Curriculum requirements, we ensure that children:
- know and understand the history of these islands as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day: how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world
- know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution of empires; characteristic features of past non-European societies; achievements and follies of mankind
- gain and deploy a historically grounded understanding of abstract terms such as ‘empire’, ‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and ‘peasantry’
- understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance, and use them to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame historically-valid questions and create their own structured accounts, including written narratives and analyses
- understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed
- gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history; and between short- and long-term timescales.
The Foundation Stage
In reception class, Understanding of the World is an integral part of the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. History makes a significant contribution to the development of each child’s Knowledge and Understanding of the World, which we cover through the teaching of related aspects which are set out in the Early Learning Goals (ELGs). We provide activities such as examining photos of themselves at birth and looking for change over time, using stories that introduce a sense of time and people from the past, comparing artefacts from different times. We ensure that we make the most of opportunities to value children’s histories from their own and other cultures.
Key Stage 1
The Long Term Plan for history covered in school sees Key Stage 1 children being taught on a two year cycle, for both history and geography. This has enabled the range and scope of the objectives taught to be wider. It also allows opportunities for teachers to collaborate, plan and undertake activities together with KS1 children. Due to the nature of the topics, skills and prior understanding are developed over the two year period.
KS1 children are taught
- changes within living memory. We look at various events that have occurred during their lives and then extend this by looking at things that happened since their parents/grandparents were born.
- events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally. We look at the Great Fire of London, explorers and discovery and history in the North East of England.
- the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements. Samuel Pepys, Captain Cook, George Stephenson and Grace Darling are amongst the significant people studied.
- significant historical events, people and places in their own locality. See above for details on how this is covered.
Key Stage 2
Pupils should continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study. They should note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms. They should regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance. They should construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information. They should understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
In planning to ensure the progression described above through teaching the British, local and world history outlined below, teachers should combine overview and depth studies to help pupils understand both the long arc of development and the complexity of specific aspects of the content.
Pupils will be taught about:
- changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age
- the Roman Empire and its impact on Britain
- Britain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots
- the Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor
- a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066. Children are taught about the effects of WW2 on the North-East of England and incorporates a local study.
- the achievements of the earliest civilizations – an overview of where and when the first civilizations appeared and a depth study of one of Ancient Egypt.
- Ancient Greece – a study of Greek life and achievements and their influence on the western world
- a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history – Year 6 look at Mayan civilization c. AD 900.
Please see the attached Long Term plan for specific year group information.
History at Hunwick Primary - Long Term Plans