Shaping Learning For Life
History
At Stockbridge Primary & Pre-School we understand that history fundamentally underpins how we interact with modern multi-cultural Britain. We believe that interrogating our past allows us to understand our present by acknowledging the process of change and the diversity of cultures and relationships over time. Consequently, by focussing on instilling the key history skills of enquiry, our aim is to provide a high-quality uniformed history education that will provide children with a rich knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. By doing so, we aim for the children to develop a greater sense of identity and cultural understanding based on communal, historical heritage.
As the children appreciate and recognise how their own culture came to be, we aim for them to make links and value others with which they may be less familiar to increase a sense of cross-cultural awareness, empathy and understanding. In our school, we intend for children to think critically when considering evidence whilst also developing perspective in order to make reasoned judgments. As such, our intent is for all children to have the opportunity to develop these essential skills to prepare them for their years beyond their time with us at Stockbridge.
Planning for progression in skills
To ensure that children develop their substantive and disciplinary knowledge associated with history, at Stockbridge Primary and Pre-School, we follow the Hampshire 6 step enquiry based learning. This approach encompasses the knowledge and skills that children need to immerse themselves in history and to become historians.
The enquiry process allows children to build upon skills and information to deliver a final outcome which answers a questions that has been posed to them at the beginning of the term. Alongside this, we use the Hampshire Progression skills document to ensure that, when delivering history learning, children work on skills appropriate for their age.
Because of our mixed age classes, we cannot cover the History curriculum in chronological order, however, we have mapped it our carefully to ensure the children receive a broad and balanced diet of history. As well as this, each history unit recaps chronology and awareness of where the unit fits into history.
History in Lower School
Building upon the EYFS Understanding the World area of learning, in the Lower School children begin to develop historical skills alongside their knowledge of key facts. They use sources and artefacts to bring their history alive as well as visiting museum and places of interest to ignite their growing ideas.
Year 3 are also part of lower school and learning is carefully crafted to ensure they receive the stretch and challenge required for the higher level of learning. A greater variety of sources, conflicting views and an extension in chronological vocabulary is paramount to ensure they get the ‘three-ness of three’ learning.
History in Upper School
In the Upper School, children continue to develop their skills at interpreting a range of primary and secondary sources. They use photos and text to describe, interpret and explain what is happening. They begin to question the reliability of sources. Alongside this, to bring the history alive, the children visit places of interest and take part in activities to embed their understanding of the time period.
Knowledge and skills continue to be underpinned by experiential learning where possible or draw on the knowledge of an expert whether it be a Saxon King in role or a visiting archaeologist from Wessex Archaeolgy or a curator from Salisbury Museum.
“The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future.” Theodore Roosevelt
