At OSPA we want our History teaching to enable our pupils to have an understanding of the past and how it can shape their future. We want to inspire a curiosity of the past and a passion to find out how the history of our world has impacted our lives today. Through our teaching we want to encourage critical thinking; give children the confidence to ask questions, generate debates and analyse different interpretations of the past; develop chronological understanding and consider the causes and consequences of significant events.
The Delivery
- History is taught in blocks throughout the year to enable children to look in depth in their learning. Teachers identify the key knowledge and skills of each topic that the children need to know and ensure they build on previous learning.
- Through the teaching of History, we aim to encourage children to become historians and use a broad range of skills to develop their understanding.
- Where possible the curriculum is taught chronologically in order to ensure the children have a good understanding of where different time periods fit into our past. Children are taught about how different periods link together.
- In KS1, children are taught about their own history and that of people around them. They also learn about key historical events and people within living memory. Topics learned in KS1 include Seasides, the Local Area, Transport, Explorers and the sinking of the Titanic.
- Throughout KS2, British history is taught chronologically to allow the children to develop a sense and understanding of when things happen and how this has shaped our lives today. Alongside these topics, children are taught wider aspects of world history so that by the end of Year 6, children will have a chronological understanding of British History from the Stone Age to the present day. They will be able to make comparisons and connections between the past and their own lives.
- The History curriculum runs on a 2 year rolling programme to ensure all children have the opportunity to learn about a range of different time periods.
- Teachers use focused questioning and links to other topic areas to ensure children are making good connections between different periods they have learned. Prior learning is revisited to help children find links and connections.
- Visitors to the school and school trips are planned into the curriculum to help bring the past alive and allow the children to handle artefacts and experience some of the topics they are learning about.