History Curriculum

History Curriculum

Our vision for History at Whitchurch

At Whitchurch we believe that History fires pupils’ curiosity about the past in Britain and the wider world. We aim to bring history to life and to instill a desire to find out about our predecessors.  We view History as a great deal more than learning facts. We see it as an opportunity to develop skills of enquiry and questioning; to become open minded “historical detectives” and explore the past in an engaging way. 

Termly and half termly topics give scope for cross curricular work. Through History, children learn to make comparisons and links between the past and modern times and discover how and why things have changed. They learn about people and events in the past, in Britain and the wider world, and realise that these have influenced our lives today. Children are taught how to investigate and record their findings in interesting and creative ways including writing, art, drama and computing.

 

The purpose of teaching history at Whitchurch is:

  • To introduce pupils to what is involved in understanding and interpreting the past.
  • To help pupils to understand how the past has influenced the present.
  • To encourage pupils to understand the nature of evidence by emphasizing history as a process of enquiry and developing the range of skills required to interpret primary and secondary source material.
  • To help pupils develop a sense of identity through learning about the development of their local area, Britain, Europe and the world.
  • To know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution of empires; characteristic features of past non-European societies; achievements and follies of mankind.
  • To develop an understanding of the different ways the past is represented and interpreted.
  • To help the critical development of pupils’ values and attitudes, and to have an increasing understanding of the values and attitudes of others.

Foundation Stage: In Willow Class, as part of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), children’s work will be related to ‘Knowledge and Understanding of the world’ set out in the Early Learning Goals.

Lower School: 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 will follow a cross-curricular approach developing their understanding of the subject in an integrated way.

Upper School: During their time in the upper school pupils will build on the work begun in the lower school and continue to follow an integrated cross-curricular approach. Pupils should continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study. They should note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms. They should regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance. They should construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information. They should understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.

 

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