Why teach history?
History helps children to gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain's past and that of the wider world. It should inspire their curiosity to know more about the past. Through the effective teaching of history, children ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments and develop perspective and judgment. History helps children to understand the complexity of people's lives , the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time. Our team leader for history is Emma Sutton and the link governor is Helen Ellis.
The National Curriculum for history aims to ensure that all pupils:
Key Stage One
Pupils should develop an awareness of the past, using common words and phrases relating to the passing of time. They should know where the people and events they study fit within a chronological framework and identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods. They should use a wide vocabulary of everyday historical terms. They should ask and answer questions, choosing and using parts of stories and other sources to show that they know and understand key features of events. They should understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented.
Pupils are taught about:
Key Stage Two
Pupils continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history. They note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate historical terms. They address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference and significance. They construct informed responses that that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information. Pupils gain an understanding of how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.