History

At All Saints, we believe in the importance of learning history to help us both reflect on the past and make sense of our lives today. Through high quality history lessons, we gain important knowledge while learning to think critically, pose questions and develop our own opinions. Children learn that there is often no single correct answer and we develop our own beliefs while remaining respectful of others who think differently to us.  

In history we follow the national curriculum. The aims of which are:-   

• 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 this 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 concepts 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 History – key stages 1 and 2 2  

• 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. 

Intent  

At All Saints our intent is to:- 

• provide a high-quality history curriculum 

• stimulate pupils’ curiosity about the past 

• understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change and challenges over time 

• develop understanding of chronology and where events ‘fit’ in relation to each other 

• provide opportunities to develop the skills of enquiry and investigation and think critically 

• develop understanding of our school and the local area 

Implementation  

Units of work have been developed by staff to focus primarily on history within living memory and history within our local area, ensuring the learning is relevant to the children. Children also engage with figures from history who have contributed to significant national and international achievements to develop their sense of awe, wonder and change.  

We have selected substantive concepts which can be developed and built upon through the units. These are power (monarchy) and achievements of mankind / developments.  

History Policy

History Progression of Skills and Knowledge in Chronological Order