History
History
At Ashbury Meadow Primary School, we view History not only as simple facts and dates but encourage pupils to become detectives who explore the past in an exciting way. Always remembering that history starts in the local context. Through our history curriculum for years 1-6, we offer opportunities to build upon the knowledge and skills learnt in EYFS, in the specific area of learning ‘Understanding the world’.
Our history curriculum for years 1-6 is enquiry based with each unit focussed around a key question to give learning purpose. At Ashbury Meadow, we use the Rising Stars curriculum to structure and support planning of our history curriculum, this ensures progression between the year group and provides teachers will planning support. This has been adapted to reflect the context of our school and locality.
History allows our children to compare and contrast, to examine how and why things have changed, to learn about historical characters and expand their research skills. We want them to understand how people have lived in the past and compare this to modern life. We meet the needs of our cohort by providing first hand experiences through handling real artefacts and wherever possible arrange visits to relevant sites of historical interest in the region or invite specialists to Ashbury Meadow for in-school workshops. The global team will plan and organise whole school focus days for events such as global cultural events. We have links with the historical association to ensure that our pupils have access to a broad range of high-quality resources.
Our history spiral curriculum is focussed on six key substantive knowledge concepts, which are:
- civilisation
- invasion, settlement and migration
- religion & beliefs
- power & rule
- trade
- legacy
Through well considered key enquiry questions, supported by sub enquiry questions pupils use historical disciplinary knowledge to gain an understanding of the topics and the substantive knowledge that underpins them.
The teaching of history will:
- Explore a wide range of sources from which the past
- Fire pupils’ curiosity about the past in Britain and the wider world
- Encourage thinking about how the past influences the present
- Help pupils develop a chronological framework for their knowledge of significant events
- Foster a sense of identity and an increased understanding of the historical significance of their community through local studies
- Develop the skills of enquiry, investigation, analysis, evaluation and presentation
- Build upon prior learning to ensure progression throughout school
- Develop pupils’ understanding of academic vocabulary by providing them with twelve key words for each historical unit
- Make cross curricular links
- Teach pupils about significant historical figures who have impacted the world we live in
- Develop a deeper understanding of history over time, through making links between events and people using the six substantive knowledge concepts on which our curriculum is based.
Local area studies
Each year the whole school take part in Project week. This week has a local history and geography focus and will deepen children’s understanding, appreciation and knowledge of our local area and enable pupils to learn and practise age appropriate geography and history skills. We plan for each year group, including EYFS to take part in a local area study, based on a key enquiry question, this not only enables the pupils to practise key skills in a purposeful manner, such a mapwork or historical research at the library, but also supports their British values, in particular developing pride and an understanding of the area they live in. We plan this week in May, to coincide with the History Association's Local History Month, which is an opportunity to promote, highlight and celebrate the local history that is around us at all times. Our 2024 plan can be found with our curriculum documents.
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