History

Intent

It is our intent, that children at Shelton Infant School will be inquisitive, and show interest in, the past and how people used to live. We will teach children about events from the past across the world but will also place an emphasis upon events and periods of time in Britain. We also root our history in the local area thereby making the investigation of the past meaningful for children. We will try to instil a sense of awe and wonder in the past, how certain events have changed our lives today and how our choices will shape the future. It is also key that we teach children how to be historians – including how to use artefacts, resources and research to learn about the past and how to be critical of sources; enabling them to draw their own conclusions. We place an emphasis upon providing children with opportunities to use the correct vocabulary relating to history. This will give children the skills required to be inquisitive and confident historians as they leave Shelton Infant School.

 Our History curriculum is broad and ambitious with a wide breadth of knowledge and skills taught from the beginning of Nursery to the end of Year Two. It meets the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and also the requirements of the National Curriculum for History at Key Stage One which covers all four areas of History – investigate and Interpret the past, historical enquiry: use, interpret and find reliable historical sources, chronological understanding and communicating knowledge & understanding

Implementation

Our whole school progression document and half termly knowledge and skills organisers for Computing have been created by teachers working together.

Our curriculum documents have been reviewed and validated by The Historical Association who have also provided advice and guidance.

These documents are used to ensure that the knowledge and skills that teachers want the children to know, remember and use are clearly identified and carefully sequenced from Nursery to Year 2. This also ensures continuity and progression of teaching and learning.

EYFS

During their time in the EYFS children have the opportunity to talk about their family and community. They can share photographs and information about people special to them alongside looking at fiction and non-fiction books about the many different types of family. Children are able to talk about members of the community they may have come across e.g. doctors, school crossing patrol, fire service etc. Talking about their own experiences and listening to others’ experiences too, helps them to understand similarity and difference. As children explore the many different topics within the Early Years there are opportunities to look at artefacts, pictures, stories and accounts from the past. Looking at artefacts can invoke great curiosity amongst young children and often stimulates interesting conversations, linking what they already know to new information and vocabulary. As part of the daily routine in Early Years, children have the opportunity to look at the calendar and talk about the weather so they develop their understanding of the passage of time and seasons. Through storytelling we frequently share texts featuring fictional and non-fictional characters from a range of cultures and times. In addition to this, staff will tell oral stories from their own families and experiences to help develop the children’s understanding of past and present.

Key Stage One

Children use artefacts along with stories, photographs and the internet. The children begin to develop their ability to raise questions and investigate photographs and artefacts to generate answers. Children continue to develop their Historical skills of enquiry, interpretation and communication. Children use artefacts and objects for research along with books, letters, stories, diaries, recounts, photographs, paintings and the internet. As well as studying the lives of a diverse range of significant individuals such as Katherine Johnson and Mary Seacole, children compare and contrast figures from different eras in History. These include monarchs, explorers and pioneers. They consider the things that influenced them and the impact their achievements had on the world they know today.

Impact

Children make good progress over time relative to their starting points. Throughout their time at our school pupils know and remember more in History.  

Teachers regularly assess children’s knowledge and skills using ongoing formative assessment and complete summative assessments at three points during the year.

The subject leader evaluates the impact of the curriculum through lesson observations, professional dialogue with colleagues, and pupil voice which includes scrutiny of children’s work, discussions with pupils and their enjoyment of History.

Our children say:-

• History is about what happened in the past.
• I liked learning about Bessie Coleman and Amelia Earhart – they were both pilots.
• I know that Chuck Yeager flew really fast – he went faster than the speed of sound
• I liked putting people on a timeline for space travel like Neil Armstrong and Tim Peake.
• We learnt about Florence Nightingale – she lived in Derbyshire.
• Queen Victoria was Queen of England for 63 years and she was Queen during the Crimean War.

For more information about our History Curriculum, please contact Hannah Cornforth (History Leader) – hcornforth@sheltoni.derby.sch.uk