History Policy
Greasby Infant School
History Policy
Mission Statement
We aim to provide a happy, relaxed environment where children are encouraged and supported to achieve their full potential, and to develop an attitude of care and responsibility towards others and their surroundings.
We ensure that the children in this school will attain the highest standards of which they are capable. We encourage the children to be independent and self-confident and we believe that this can be achieved more readily when teachers, parents and pupils work together in partnership.
Introduction
A high-quality history education will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. It should inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past. Teaching should equip pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. History helps pupils 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.
Aims of History
The National Curriculum for history aims to ensure that all pupils:
- know and understand the history of these islands as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day: how people’s lives have shaped the nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world
- 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
- gain and deploy a historically grounded understanding of abstract terms such as ‘empire’, ‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and ‘peasantry’
- understand historical contexts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance, and use them to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame historically-valid questions and create their own structured accounts, including written narratives and analyses
- understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed
- gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history; and between short and long-term timescales
Objectives
The national curriculum states that pupils in KS1 should be taught about:
- changes within living memory. Where appropriate, these should be used to reveal aspects of change in national life
- events beyond living memory that are significant nationally and globally (for example, the Great Fire of London, the first aeroplane flight or events commemorated through festivals or anniversaries)
- the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements. Some should compare aspects of life in different periods
- significant historical events, people and places in their own locality
The Organisation of History
- History, at Greasby Infant School, is taught as part of our Creative Curriculum which is topic based and linked with subjects across the curriculum. It also encompasses the new national curriculum framework as set out by the government.
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- The key skills we teach in history are accessed through several core and non-core subjects.
- History contributes significantly to the teaching of reading, writing, speaking and listening. Some of the texts used in literacy are historical in nature, helping children to develop oral skills.
- We use ICT in history teaching where appropriate.
- History teaching contributes to the teaching of mathematics in a variety of ways. Children learn to use numbers when developing a sense of chronology through such activities as time-line.
- Our SEAL programme supports history in its teaching of cultural and religious tolerance as well as in the teaching of equal opportunities and citizenship.
- At the Foundation Stage history is taught as an integral part of the topic work and is covered throughout the year. The historical aspects of the children’s work is related to those objectives set out in the Knowledge and Understanding of the World area of the Foundation Stage Curriculum.
Assessment & Record Keeping
History skills are assessed throughout the curriculum as well as knowledge-based learning. Historical skills show how a child has connected with the topic while knowledge shows how well they develop a sense of chronology.
By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study.
The Role of the teacher
- The class teacher plans each lesson listing specific learning objectives.
- The teacher will use a variety of methods in the teaching of history, including whole class discussions, stories, role play, pictures, film and artefacts as well as writing opportunities.
- Topics should be planned so that they build upon prior learning, ensuring that children of all abilities have the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge in each unit.
- Differentiation is achieved by varying the context, contents, task or outcome of work according to the needs of the pupil. Multiple intelligences will be recognised and acted upon so that each pupil’s progress is monitored through their individual responses.
- The teacher will ensure that support staff are informed of medium term planning and are aware of the various methods of supporting different ability groups throughout the history unit.
We recognise the fact that in all classes there are children of widely different abilities in history and we seek to provide suitable learning opportunities for all children by matching the challenge of the task to the ability of the child. We achieve this by:
- Planning common tasks which are open ended and can have a variety of responses
- Providing resources of different complexity depending on the ability of the child
- Using classroom assistants to support children individually or in groups
The Role of the Teaching Assistant
- The Teaching Assistant will act upon the teacher’s guidance to ensure different ability groups are supported according to their individual needs.
- She/he will be familiar with the topic being taught and the various abilities within the classroom. She will feel competent to support small groups of children in topic related discussion, recording of work and in the delivery of certain aspect of the unit when guided by the teacher.
The Role of the Subject Leader
- The History Subject Leader will ensure that any policies relating to the subject are kept up to date and available to staff, Governors and parents when and if the need should occur.
- She/he will attend any training related to the subject and report any up-to date findings to the staff.
- She/he is responsible for monitoring the standard of the children’s work and the quality of teaching in history.
- She/he is responsible for supporting colleagues in teaching history, keeping them informed about current developments in the subject and for providing a strategic lead and direction for the subject in the school.
- She/he will prepare an annual report in which she/he evaluates the strengths and weaknesses in the subject and indicates areas for further improvement.
- Management time will be allocated for the task of reviewing samples of children’s work and for visiting classes to observe teaching in the subject.
- She/he will present a Portfolio of History related work from each year group, which will be updated throughout the year.
Resources
- The New National Curriculum program of study, 2014.
- Focus materials (a skill based programme for the foundation subjects)
- A supply of History topic books which can be found in the library
- A range of educational software to support the children’s individual research.
- Mind Friendly Learning programme by Peter Greenhalgh
- The Alps Approach by Alistair Smith and Nicola Call
Special Educational Needs
At Greasby Infant School History is taught to all children, whatever their ability. History forms part of the school’s curriculum policy to provide a broad and balanced education to all children. Through our history teaching we provide learning opportunities that match the needs of children with learning difficulties and we take into account the targets set for individual children in their individual education plans (IEPs).
Equal Opportunities
Within the teaching of history, as with all subjects taught a Greasby Infant School, children are encouraged to develop tolerance and respect for the rights of others. Through learning about the past and the effects various actions have had on particular groups in society children are given the opportunity to question certain actions and consequently develop a sense of what is right and wrong.
Health and Safety
Greasby Infant School follows Wirral Local Authority Health & Safety guidelines and documents which can be found in the Headteacher’s office.
Each year group assesses the risks involved with all activities. Risk assessments are written and can be found in year group planning files. A copy is also kept by the Headteacher and can be found in the Risk Assessment File.
Victoria Clark
Subject Leader. Updated 18.05.20