History

The study of past events and the impact of history on today.

Intent

At Silverdale Primary Academy, we inspire our children to be the best that they can be. We ensure that pupils experience a wide breadth of study, to give them the cultural capital needed for success now and in the future. Within the teaching of History, we focus on reflecting on the long-lasting impact of actions. As well as, supporting children in understanding the innovations and discoveries from the past and how they are still relevant today. Throughout the curriculum, children are made aware of how history has impacted people’s lives and understand how life was similar or different from the past across different civilisations. All pupils, regardless of their starting point, are given the opportunities to deepen core knowledge and to develop a love for History.

Implementation

At Silverdale Primary Academy, core knowledge is revisited and developed throughout the children’s time at school enabling children to deepen this core knowledge and ensure learning is secure in their long-term memory. Vertical concepts are carefully sequenced such as community and family, taught in Early Years, built on in Key Stage One and studied again in further detail throughout Key Stage Two. This model allows children to build upon their prior knowledge and increases their enthusiasm whilst embedding this core knowledge. We have adapted the United Learning curriculum to ensure that all pupils develop historical knowledge and conceptual understanding through the disciplinary strands, including the local context. Some examples of the disciplinary strands are historical significance, chronology and change and continuity.

When teaching History at Silverdale you would see:

• A Unit Overview, which details a sequence of lessons that carefully plan for progression and depth
• A teacher subject knowledge pack for each unit
• A sequence of teaching that follows the Rosenshine Principles of Instruction
• Low stakes quizzes used regularly to support learners’ ability to retrieve and recall knowledge and increase space in the working memory
• Trips and visits from experts where learning experiences can be enhanced

Impact

Our History Curriculum is high quality, well sequenced and planned to enable progression. If children are keeping up with the curriculum, they are deemed to be making progress through knowing more and remembering more. In addition, we measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:

• The United Learning Curriculum for History progresses year on year, giving pupils the knowledge that they need to move forward in their learning, building on prior learning
• Alongside pupils have opportunities to apply their knowledge to different contexts
• Pre and post learning quizzes are used to ensure effective learning though recall
• Pupil discussions about their learning demonstrate what they have remembered
• Pupils gain a greater understanding of the history of the world around them