History

'The curriculum provides interesting experiences for pupils across a broad range of subjects. For example, pupils in all year groups enjoy taking part in activities related to the First World War, such as ‘Real History Day’ (Inspection Report 2019)

Miss Hollins and Mrs Fielding-Huda are the History leads. The following information will give you an overview of History at Lydiate Primary and Nursery School.

Curriculum Drivers

Our curriculum is driven around the three principles that make up our school motto: Inspire, Achieve, Prepare for Life. We start every lesson by setting the learning intention, explaining clearly why we are learning a concept, and drawing specifically on previous learning to help us. 

Inspiring Our Pupils - The Intent

Our History curriculum aims to inspire curiosity and fascination about the past in Britain and the wider world, whilst developing coherent chronological knowledge and an enquiring mind. Our teaching of chronology and timelines, helps to develop a sense of identity and a cultural understanding, based on their historical heritage. This enables our children to learn to value their own and other people’s cultures in modern multi-cultural Britain. 

Our intention is to encourage children to examine critically, ask questions, think and act as historians and evaluate evidence, including both primary and secondary sources where applicable, which allows them to develop a broad understanding of the events, societies and cultures from the past. We aim to incorporate the British Values throughout our History curriculum. Local history is also threaded throughout and we want our children to develop an appreciation for the people and events that are part of our local, as well as our national and international history.

Ensuring Our Pupils Achieve - Implementation

In History, we implement an inclusive curriculum that meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum whilst inspiring a love of the past.  Our curriculum is well-planned and structured, provides literacy-rich, cross-curricular opportunities and ensures progression and depth in learning.

The History Leads have identified the key knowledge and skills for each unit and consideration has been given to ensure progression across the topics throughout each year group. We place an emphasis on children knowing more and remembering more as we build skills, starting with our youngest pupils in the Early Years continuing to our oldest pupils in Year 6. We use the Rising Stars Scheme of Work which we have adapted to suit our children and mission statement.

Across Key Stage 1, children begin to develop an awareness of the past using historical vocabulary. They study people and events and begin to identify similarities and differences between different time periods. Children learn some of the ways in which we find out about the past and how events studied fit into the chronological framework.

Within Key Stage 2, children build on prior knowledge and continue to develop chronologically secure knowledge of British, local and world history. Children learn to develop historically valid questions, identifying contrasts and trends over time, and make connections. Children also learn how our knowledge of the past is constructed through a range of sources.

A series of stimulating lessons are planned, with clear knowledge and skills-based learning objectives and subject-specific vocabulary. Teachers assess learning in history against knowledge and skills-based learning objectives within unit overviews.

Our History curriculum promotes children’s Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development, ensuring that they are reflective and responsible citizens. Fundamental British Values are actively promoted in History lessons in order to prepare the children for life in Modern Britain.

Equal Opportunities and Inclusion

In school we are committed to providing suitable History learning opportunities for all children. Learning at Lydiate Primary School is underpinned by the Education Endowment Foundation's 'Five a Day' principle.  This is woven into our History curriculum. Instructions are clear and concise and pupils are given feedback on their tasks. New knoweldge is revisted throughout each unit and built upon as part of the cyclical nature of our curriculum, ensuring that cognitive load is not overwhelmed. Learning is broken down into digestible chunks, with appropriate support given to ensure that all pupils are making effective progress. Through access to tangible and virtual source materials learning is brought to life in the classroom; providing children with opportunities to work independently or collaboratively, to ask, as well as answer, historical questions.

Rising Stars

For History, we use the Rising Stars scheme of work for KS1 and KS2. This scheme has allowed us to create a well-tailored, bespoke curriculum unique to our school which covers the full curriculum. We have created a secure framework which challenges all children helping them to secure key skills to becoming historians. The scheme builds progressively from EYFS to year 6 constantly revisiting skills and concepts alongside measuring progress to identify gaps in learning.

Preparing Our Pupils For Life - The Impact

Within each unit of work, children have the opportunity to investigate, discuss and evaluate topics from the past, helping them to understand the process of change and the diversity of people's lives and societies. Assessment is built in to each topic, enabling misconceptions and gaps in knowledge to be addressed, ensuring that all pupils show progress. 

We are fortunate to be in an area rich in historical culture and significance, which provides us with opportunities to weave local history into our curriculum and enables children to examine particular topics, questions and areas of interest at a micro level.  For example links to Lunt Meadows and the World and Maritime Museums in Liverpool. 

Lydiate Futures 

Through the breadth and depth that our curriculum offers, our children become passionate historians, who are inspired by the subject, are curious to find out more about the past and have a love of history that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

"A high-quality history education will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain's past and that of the wider world. It should inspire pupils' curiosity to know more about the past". National Curriculum (2014).

Want To Know More?

Any Parent/Carer who wishes to know more about our History curriculum can make an appointment to speak with Miss Hollins or Mrs Fielding-Huda. Please do so via contacting the school office. There are also some useful documents and websites below.