...a haven of hope and aspiration...

History Lead: Miss Paul

At Archbishop Courtenay Primary school, we ensure the curriculum provides a coherent, progressive and challenging approach to the teaching of history within the context of the wider curriculum, enabling our children to flourish. History is a  key foundation subject within our school curriculum and has a vital role in developing literacy and deepening pupils' understanding of historical contexts , in all its forms, and fostering appreciation and understanding of our own and other societies.

As in all areas of the curriculum, we promote a love of learning, wisdom, hope and dignity within our Christian community and aspire to enable children to discover life in all its fullness which Jesus offers.

Pupils are encouraged to critically reflect on their learning and are actively taught respect and tolerance for the beliefs, ideas and ways of life of those in other times . Learning from history, our school  helps children to develop a sense of humanity’s key role and ability in developing different ways of life, values and beliefs by learning about and assessing their structure and effectiveness; Learning, from mankind’s historical progress, skills of: 

• Consideration
• Tolerance
• Empathy
• Respect
• Forgiveness
• Friendship

British Values

At Archbishop Courtenay Primary school, we understand clearly our responsibility in preparing children for future opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life, laying the foundations so that they can take their place successfully in modern British society. We promote a respect for and understanding of different faiths and cultures. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of each child is central to everything that we do as a school and central to our school vision. This is evidenced through our teaching and learning, our inclusive environment and through the many opportunities provided for our children to understand democracy, law, liberty, mutual respect and tolerance.

Planning

Our History curriculum aims to support pupils to develop their own thinking and understanding through research and their own questions. We teach ancient periods of history linked to Britain and the wider world so that pupils can identify and highlight key ideas and events that shaped communities in the past and contrast these with their experiences of the contemporary world they live in, drawing on evidence and artefacts to build a rich picture to deepen their understanding and knowledge. Pupils are encouraged to build time lines to sort and order events and build their understanding of chronology and the passing of time. Pupils are taught to consider the impact of the historical period studied on subsequent ages, developing links between ideas and practices over a wider span of time.

Assessment

Children are monitored on a regular basis to check progress, this supports teachers in identifying and filling gaps in children’s knowledge. We encourage all pupils to take responsibility for their own and their peers learning. Teacher assess and monitor progress through their teaching and questioning to enable then to adjust accordingly through planning to meet the children’s individual learning needs and through written work linked to the historical contexts. Children to part in quizzes, to reinforce prior learning and gaps, at the start of lessons and at the end of the whole unit. Children complete learning logs at the end of the week to summarise their learning of the week. At the end of the unit, teachers assess children’s progress towards the end of key stage national curriculum objectives. We use this to support our identification of gifted and talented pupils.

Collective Evidence

At Archbishop Courtenay Primary School, we believe that all pupils should have the opportunities to share their pupil voice. We do this in a number of ways. The curriculum allows opportunities for pupils to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding when using their pupil voice. The subject leader finds out pupil’s opinions about the teaching of history and the content covered through interviewing selected pupils during lesson observations and pupil conference opportunities. The subject leader acts upon the comments and suggestions of pupils wherever possible.

Enrichment Opportunities

• Visitors to school and in-school experiences
• School Trips and field trips
• Whole school – a school-wide local study project
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Targets 

• To promote and extend school and community partnerships, including with local churches, faith groups and relevant environmental/ historical groups.
• Improve the quality of teaching of history, using historical enquiry questions and encounter a range of historian voices, ensuring tasks and activities are appropriately matched to pupil needs and abilities.  Focusing on the spiritual, moral and cultural development of children, encouraging critical thinking opportunities which develop self-confidence and awareness in order to understand the world they live in as individuals and as members of groups.
• To improve and demonstrate what children have learned in both substantive and disciplinary knowledge.
• Improve and promote opportunities for enriching historical knowledge and skills within the work of the school, centred on our children’s interests.

Impact

This will be monitored through the collection of pupil and staff voices and any adjustments to the programme made where appropriate.