History Intent

History, at Rosewood, allows children the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the past by building on previous learning.  This is achieved through a coherent curriculum that focuses on substantive and disciplinary knowledge. We strive to ensure that our children are equipped to ask perceptive questions, analyse evidence, think critically, appreciate different perspectives, and develop informed judgements.

Our history curriculum ignites children’s curiosity about the past within their own local area, Britain’s, and that of the wider world. This enables our children to become historians and have a strong understanding of how the past influences the present. 

We have worked closely with history specialists to design a history curriculum which creates a coherently planned sequence of lessons ensuring that children are progressively taught the knowledge, skills and concepts required by the National Curriculum.
 

Substantive and Disciplinary Concepts:

We have four substantive concepts within our history curriculum which are taught across school, from EYFS to Year 6:

Childhood

Civilisations

Justice and Equality

Leadership

Disciplinary concepts are woven throughout our history curriculum:

Similarities and differences

Change and continuity

Sources and evidence

Cause

Historical Interpretations

Historical Significance

Our intention is to create a 'snowball' effect starting in EYFS; learning is cumulative and our children revisit these key concepts repeatedly giving structure and meaning to history content and facts, building their 'snowball' of knowledge and skill acquisition.   We recognise that progress in history is developing knowledge and is not memorising disconnected facts.  We want our children to build richer ideas and schema about the past and the
discipline of history.

History Implementation

• Teaching draws attention to important content and terms, and frequently revisits these and builds in regular retrieval opportunities . This supports the secure retention that will unlock rapid later recognition of these terms.
• Exposition is clear and builds on pupils’ prior knowledge
• Teaching uses narrative, story and rich historical contexts to support learning of new material.
• Curriculum design and teaching are adapted appropriately to the needs of pupils.
• Adaptations for pupils with SEND are carefully considered and take into account the importance of background information in learning.

Children in the EYFS start developing their knowledge, skills, and understanding of the world by learning about the recent past. As they advance through school, they will build on this foundational knowledge allowing them to make connections to what they have previously learned. Our whole-school approach to enhancing long-term memory is embedded in the history curriculum through regular retrieval activities, helping children to know more and retain more.

We use first-hand experiences, visits, guest speakers, and artefacts are incorporated into every history topic to help children make historical inquiries and ask valid historical questions.

History Unit Structure:

History Impact

In history, we use ongoing formative assessments to guide our teaching.  Teachers use assessment data to inform future planning and address misconception. The end points for each history topic are meticulously mapped out; the final lesson of each history unit - communicating findings sessions - offers an opportunity for teachers to assess the knowledge and skills acquired over the history topic.  

This final outcome, created within the communicating findings lesson, is evidenced in workbooks, multi-media presentations, display work and pupil discussions. Pupils are well-prepared for the next steps and stages of their learning due to the progressive and well-sequenced curriculum.