History

Purpose of the Curriculum

(What will a high quality History education do for our children?)

Excite a life long curiosity to know more about the past
Promote fascination about the history of people and places.
Equip pupils with knowledge about Britain’s past and that of the wider world
Encourage children to find out about their own history
Inspire pupils to ask perceptive questions and to think critically
Develop a range of skills to ‘think and work like historians’

Aim of the Curriculum

By the end of their time at Smith’s Wood Primary Academy, all pupils should be able to:

Knowledge

To have a clear understanding of the history of Britain:

Know and understand the history of Britain (from the earliest times until present day)
To know how peoples lives have shaped Britain
To understand how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world

To know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world:

To discover the nature of ancient civilisations
To understand how and why empires have expanded and dissolved over time
To identify characteristic features of past non- European societies
To know about the achievements and foolishness of mankind

To develop historical understanding:

To understand historical concepts
To understand and develop methods of historical enquiry
To gain historical perspective

Skills

To use and apply the skills of a historian

To use historical terms accurately
To make connections between events or periods
To draw contrasts
To analyse trends
To frame historically valid questions
To create their own structured account

Key Stage 1 Objectives

Chronological Understanding:

To know where the people and events they study fit within a chronological framework.
To create a timeline of events
To identify similarities and differences between life in different periods.

Historical Vocabulary

To use a wide vocabulary of everyday historical terms.
To use common words and phrases relating to the passing of time.

Historical Skills

To understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented.
To ask and answer questions, choosing and using parts of stories and other sources to show that they know and understand key features of events.
To present findings in a variety of ways

Historical Understanding

To know about changes in living memory (last 100 years)
To know about significant national or global events (over 100 years ago)
To know about the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements
To know why people did things, why events happened and what happened as a result
To compare aspects of life for significant individuals in different periods (compare periods)
To understand significant historical events, people and places in our locality
To begin to understand British Values
To recognise key individuals from the British Royal family
To recognise the national anthem

Key Stage 2 OBJECTIVES

Chronological Understanding:

To continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history
To place events, people and places in correct periods of time
To use dates to describe key events or periods in history
To note connections, contrasts and trends over time

Historical Vocabulary

To develop the appropriate use of historical terms

Historical Skills

To regularly address historical questions
To devise historically valid questions
To construct responses that include selection, consideration and organisation of historical information
To understand that our knowledge of the past is gained from a variety of sources
To question the validity of sources
To consider differing views and representations of some historical events, people and changes, and understand how and why they have been interpreted in these ways.
To select an appropriate form in which to present understanding or findings

Historical Understanding

Children will gain an understanding of the characteristic features of the period studied (to include: beliefs and attitudes, experiences of men, women and children

World History

To understand the Mesozoic era (Dinosaurs)
To understand the history of a non European society and compare and contrast to British History

European History

To understand the Roman Empire and how it impacted on life in Britain
To understand where and when the earliest ancient civilisations took place, including an in depth study into one of the early ancient civilisation.
To understand the lives and achievements of the ancient Greeks and how they influenced the western world

British History

To understand British settlement of the Anglo Saxons and the Vikings
To understand local history and how periods within history have affected the locality
To understand a theme or aspect of British history over time to the present day (Education, technology, art)
To understand how war has affected the history of Britain and the wider world
To understand how and why significant individuals have influenced Britain and the wider world (Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandella, Monarchies, )
To understand the history of sport and how it has influenced societies
To demonstrate an understanding of British Values
To recite the national anthem