History Organisation and Enrichment

Organisation of the Curriculum

The History Curriculum follows the National Curriculum guidance and in some areas goes beyond this. The Curriculum is built on Stands, these are revisited through the spiral curriculum as children deepen there knowledge and makes link over time.

The History Skills Domains are progressively built on, allowing children to learn and work as a historian. There are four skills domains, which are: chorological understanding, Interpreting Evidence, Asking Questions and Understanding the impact of an event/person on society.

Lessons are taught discretely but there is scope for each unit to be compared with others, for children to deepen their understanding and make vital historical links across periods. The curriculum has been written in order to support pupils to build their knowledge whilst using skills to apply the knowledge that they have learnt.  

The focus in EYFS is understanding past and present. The context relates to the pupils themselves and then spreads wider to family and changes within the family unit. The past and present theme continues with chronological order. Links are made with old and new technologies, sequencing life events as well as identifying environmental changes over time.

Enrichment

By enriching the curriculum we hope to provide extended learning opportunities for our pupils. Giving the pupil the chance to study concepts with greater depth, breadth and complexity, while also helping children to pursue their own areas of interest and strength.

Enrichment happens in the following ways:

• Teachers plan projects through, home learning, that engage and motivate pupils whilst also encouraging pupils to use their questioning, enquiry, investigation of sources skills to reach conclusions. These projects are then shared in class.
• Virtual classrooms where learning can be brought to life through iPads and other digital devices, allowing children to explore events in history.
• Assemblies and stories are used to bring event sin our history into context, from WW1 to the current refugee crisis. Elements are discussed with supporting resources such as videos and stories. 
• Local history is also explored through history, linking to significant person Winston Churchill, pupils explore our Harlow in year 1 and how Harlow has evolved as they progress through teh school.
• Learning outside of the classroom in the form of school trips and visits.