History

Implementation

History topics at Buckshaw Primary School are informed by the National Curriculum and are made sensitive to children’s interests, as well as the context of the local area. History is carefully planned and structured to ensure that current learning is linked to previous learning and that the school’s approaches are informed by up-to-date pedagogical practice. In line with the National Curriculum, the curriculum at Buckshaw Primary School is skills based, offering our children the opportunity to constantly ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. Through this process they can begin to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.

History is taught throughout the year and teachers have identified the key knowledge and skills of each topic, ensuring full coverage of the National Curriculum by the time our children reach the end of Year 6. Consideration has been given to ensure progression across topics throughout each year group across the school.

Cross curricular outcomes in History are specifically planned for, with strong links between the History curriculum and English lessons, enabling further contextual learning. We ensure we have a class-specific chronology on display in all of our classrooms throughout the year. This is a way for our children to evaluate their learning experiences and document them in a method similar to their exploration of timelines within their History curriculum.

The local area is fully utilised to achieve our desired outcomes, with extensive opportunities for learning outside the classroom embedded in practice. We make frequent use of local visits, develop learning opportunities with external agencies such as Lancashire Museums Service, organise and implement themed days and provide opportunities for expert speakers to engage with our children in the context of our History curriculum.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) follows the ‘Development Matters in the EYFS’ guidance which aims for all children to have an ‘Understanding of the World; people and communities, the world and technology’ by the end of the academic year.

Impact

Outcomes in History books as well as cross-curricular work shows clear evidence of Buckshaw Primary School’s broad and balanced History curriculum and demonstrate the children’s acquisition of identified key skills and knowledge. Staff carry out formative assessment on a lesson-by-lesson basis and summative assessment is carried out every term in accordance with our assessment policy. Children review their successes at the end of every session in relation to the objective shared with them beforehand. In line with building on previously attained knowledge and skills, children record what they have learned comparative to their starting points at the end of every topic. Pupils’ book are subject to a regular scrutiny led by the subject leader as well as members of the SLT. This is to ensure the school is taking a unified approach to the subject and to offer effective feedback in order to ensure impactful teaching and learning. Pupil Voice questionnaires are carried out regularly by the subject leader in order to ascertain effective practice and to listen to the views, wishes and experiences of the children in our care.

Buckshaw Brilliance