St Nicolas' Church of England Infant School
Living life in all its fullness
History
Intent - Our Vision
At St Nics' we want our children to:
- Have a sense of chronology.
- Understand that over time, people’s way of life has varied and developed.
- Gain a historical perspective on their life and the world.
- Be able to apply their knowledge to understand connections between periods of history and the lives of people now and in the past.
- To consider the value of different historical sources.
- Appreciate and celebrate significant individuals, cultural traditions, arts and events which have influenced life in Britain.
Since COVID:
We have particularly focused on building the children's understanding and use of historical vocabulary in a range of contexts. We have also re-launched our intergenerational links with the local community, providing first hand experiences and knowledge through our connections with Pilgrim Woods Care Home, Mount Pleasant, Friday lunch club at URC.
Implementation - How we will deliver this to achieve our goal
- Cross curricular learning helps children to make links between history and other areas of learning.
- We provide first hand experiences, including historical activities, cooking, trips and visitors.
- A 'decolonised' curriculum which celebrates the part diversity has played in the development of our own and other cultures.
- Use of high quality books, resources, materials and online resources inspire and deepen learning.
- By providing opportunities for awe and wonder, including problem solving and the element of surprise when introducing new topics.
- Opportunities to explore concepts for themselves through continuous provision approach deepen and embed the learning.
- Encouragement to ask own questions using discussion, working walls and Wondering Walls, and to seek answers, during which children apply the research skills they have been taught.
- Our annual Black History and Dignity Pause Day celebrates the ways Caribbean culture has enriched Britain and the ways in which significant individuals in Black history have made a difference in the world.
Use of the art of discussion to prompt and inspire questioning and curiosity about the events and lives of people in the past.
Teachers' expertise and skill in archaeology and history enriches the subject.
Impact - How we know our vision has come to fruition
Our children are ready for the next stage of their educational journey, leaving us:
- With an enthusiastic interest in history, inspired and motivated to continue to learn.
- Able to make links and reason about historical questions and ideas.
- Able to apply knowledge to new situations and periods of history.
- Transferring knowledge of history and how this could impact on the future, using higher order thinking skills.
- An understanding of chronology and how to use sources.
- Interested in and appreciative of the historical context of the society we live in.
- Appreciative of the rich variety of cultural and historical influences in Britain.
KS1 Skills Progression: History St Nicolas’ Infant School | |||
In KS1, statements in bold are non-negotiable in order to reach Expected Standard (no Greater Depth option). | |||
Skill | Reception EYFS | Year 1 | Year 2 |
Chronological Understanding | Understand the past through settings, characters and events encountered in books read in class and storytelling. | Use historical terms and be introduced to the names of different periods of history.
Understand that life in the past was different from our lives today. | Sequence events studied on a timeline.
Be able to describe some of the ways in which life was different in the past and explain some of the reasons why. |
Range and Depth of Historical Knowledge | Know some similarities and differences between things in the past and now, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class. | Be aware of some historical events and places.
Begin to understand that changes over time affect daily life.
Begin to understand how technological and social changes affect the lives of individuals. | Begin to understand some historical events/places in their locality.
Develop their understanding of how changes over time have affected daily life.
Develop their understanding of the ways in which technological and social changes affect lives of individuals. |
Significant Individuals | Talk about the lives of the people around them and their roles in society. | Be aware of some historical individuals and be able to explain why we remember them. | Use historical individuals to compare aspects of life in different periods. |
Historical Enquiry | Continuous provision opportunities to explore societal roles through role play, small world etc. | Understand that we can find out about the past from different historical sources.
Use simple sources with support to find out about the past. | Begin to consider the value of different historical sources.
Begin to explain which sources they think are reliable and why.
Use simple sources to independently find out about the past and draw simple conclusions. |
