What does History look like in Peaslake School? Why do we teach it?
Our local area has an abundance of rich historical resources that we draw on to support history in the School; from the Iron Age Fort on the top of Holmbury Hill to the old work houses in the village our History curriculum is deeply rooted within our local community. During their time at Peaslake School the children learn about the buildings, landscape and people who have shaped the village and surrounding area into what it is today.
Our starting point is to help children gain an understanding of the passing of time, questioning what they can do now compared to what they could do when they themselves were babies. We start from their own families and think how life might have been different. We teach children about the History of familiar surroundings to give them a sense of self and understanding of how life was in the past and how things have changed over time. Celebrations and festivals within the community help us bring to life historical events such as the Harvest festival, Remembrance and Mother’s Day which also link to our RE curriculum.
From the Early Years to the end of Key Stage 1 we build on children’s historical knowledge and chronological understanding by introducing them to the changes that have occurred over time and the significant events and individuals who have contributed to national and international life. Children use a variety of resources to accumulate knowledge and vocabulary, they are encouraged to formulate questions and have time and opportunity to research and find answers about the past
Implementation
Curriculum Map - Key concepts and skills
Definitions:
Skills: The processes children develop and use to find out about History eg: Historical enquiry through research, handling evidence, organising and communicating findings.
Concepts: The thought processes for understanding History’s big ideas eg Change and continuity, similarities and differences, historical significance, cause and consequence and historical interpretation.
Key Knowledge: What we want the children to know learn by the end of the topic
Impact
By the end of EYFS children will be able to:
Finding out about the past (historical enquiry)
Ask and answer questions about the past and discuss possible answers to questions about the past.
Chronological Understanding
Place objects, people and events beyond own experiences in time order.
Use historical terms to describe the passage of time e.g. modern, recent, long ago, older etc.
Finding out about the past (Historical events)
Compare aspects of the present with the past and describe simple similarities and differences.
Give reasons for and describe changes that have taken place within living memory.
By the end of KS1 children will be able to:
Finding out about the past (historical enquiry)
Compare aspects of the present with the past and describe simple similarities and differences.
Give reasons for and describe changes that have taken place within living memory.
Ask and answer questions about the past and discuss possible answers to questions about the past.
Chronological Understanding
Talk about events, places and people beyond living memory both nationally and globally.
Place objects, people and events beyond own experiences in time order.
Use historical terms to describe the passage of time eg modern, recent, long ago, older etc.
Finding out about the past (historical events)
Talk about events and lives of people beyond living memory. (Within own locality)
Lifestyles of people in the past
Talk about the similarities and differences between their lives and that of others.
Describe the similarities and differences between the lives of different people.
Significant Historical People
Talk about people who have had a significant impact on society, using a range of historical vocabulary. Nationally and internationally.
By AndyScott - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=94846127
