History

History at Pendle:

Subject Leader: Emily Lancaster

At Pendle Primary School, the History curriculum enables our children to gain knowledge and understanding of the past within our own locality, our country and the wider world. They will learn about the complexity of peoples’ lives, the diversity of societies and the relationships between different groups of people in the past. Through a detailed study of key knowledge from different historical periods, pupils will also develop historical skills and concepts such as chronological understanding, continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity and difference. Through observing and interpreting evidence, we believe that our lessons inspire children to know more about the past and to think and act as historians.

Our aim at Pendle is to encourage and develop the natural curiosity that all young children have about their world. We believe that children must be equipped with the skills they need to find answers to questions. As they progress through the school we seek to develop their skills of enquiry, analysis, interpretation and problem solving so they become confident in exploring, evaluating, and explaining their own views.

In conjunction with the National Curriculum, our History curriculum aims to:

• foster in children an interest in the past and to develop an understanding that enables them to enjoy all that history has to offer
• enable children to know and understand significant events in British history (including the history of our own locality) and to appreciate how people’s lives have shaped the nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world
• help children know and understand significant periods of historical development in the wider world
• help children 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
• teach subject-specific vocabulary which pupils will use accurately in oral and written work
• to develop in children the skills of historical enquiry; evidence based historical claims, contrasting arguments, investigation, analysis, evaluation and presentation

At Pendle Primary School, we have developed our own scheme of work to deliver the National Curriculum for History throughout Key Stage 1 and 2. We have developed ‘knowledge organisers’ that are well-sequenced, with a clear progression of knowledge and vocabulary. Historical skills and concepts (such as change, cause and effect etc.) are integrated within the curriculum and developed through the key knowledge which the children learn each year. 

The History curriculum is covered through a whole school long term plan. A rolling programme is in place to ensure that the key knowledge from our History topics is taught to all pupils during each Key Stage, taking account of the mixed-age structure of our classes. The topics have been planned to allow for of a progression of skills and knowledge of local and global events, whilst covering the national curriculum for History within each key stage. By linking learning to a range of topics / subjects, children at Pendle have opportunities to investigate and interpret the past and understand chronology e.g. using the iPads to conduct their own historical research. 

In EYFS, pupils are taught the knowledge and skills for ‘Past and Present’ using a thematic approach outlined in our EYFS Curriculum for Understanding the World (see EYFS Curriculum). The themes are linked to the Scheme of Work for Key Stage 1 to ensure progression as pupils move from EYFS to Key Stage 1.

Topics are enhanced by visits and visitors such as Adrian Worrel who has done some fantastic workshops in school. We are lucky to have some wonderful primary sources within the local area to support teaching and learning, for example Clitheroe Castle.