Intent
The learning and teaching of history at St Paul’s aims to provide an opportunity for children to understand, appreciate and enjoy the multi- cultural world we live in. This subsequently will allow children to celebrate the rich diversity of modern Britain. Our intent is that our teaching of history will help pupils to gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and the influences of Britain on and from the wider world.
The key aims for history at St Paul’s are:
- To foster children’s curiosity and understanding of the past including significant events, figures and time periods in Britain and the wider world
- To inspire children to ask questions and develop skills of historical enquiry and evaluation.
- To develop children’s understanding of chronology.
- To support children’s understanding of their locality and society and allow them to understand their valuable place within it.
Implementation
History is taught at St Paul’s through a topic based cross curricular approach. Our curriculum is designed to inspire pupil’s curiosity about the past by providing memorable first-hand experiences with a variety of sources, trips, visitors and artefacts involved. We equip the children with broad subject knowledge, guided by the National Curriculum and our progression of skills document. This ensures that historical skills are developed each year and sequenced appropriately to maximise learning for all children.
Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1
The children will develop an awareness of the past. Children begin by developing language of the passing of time and discuss how elements of life are the same or different to the past. They will learn about significant individuals who have contributed to national and global life and development. They will study events beyond and within living memory, for example the Gunpowder Plot and the Great Fire of London, and discuss their significance and impact on our lives now.
Key Stage 2
The pupils will continue to develop their understanding of chronology, placing periods of time in historical context. They will study the history of our local area, Britain and the world through a range of time periods from the Stone Age to World War 2. Children will develop an understanding of historical vocabulary and discuss connections and trends over time including migration, monarchy and trade. They will use, analyse and evaluate a variety of sources and demonstrate the ability to use these sources to support their own opinions or judgements.
Impact
The impact of our history curriculum ensures that children at St Paul’s are equipped with historical skills and knowledge that will enable them to access and engage in the Key Stage 3 curriculum. They will be able to express their knowledge through a variety of different methods and refer to their learning with confidence and enthusiasm. Children will finally develop an understanding of the multicultural and diverse world they live in and consequently become active members of society equipped with this knowledge and a context for their growing sense of identity.