History is taught in the school in accordance with the National Curriculum 2000 orders. This policy document updates and replaces any previous policy used by the school.

History encourages pupil’s curiosity about the past in Britain and the wider world.

Pupils consider how the past influences the present, what past societies were like and what beliefs and cultures influenced people’s actions.

Pupils can see the diversity of human experience, and understand more about themselves as individuals and members of society. What they learn can influence their decisions about personal choice, attitudes and values.

Through evidence and research they can reach their own conclusions and can argue for their own point of view, a skill which prepares pupils for adult life.

Through our teaching of history we aim to:

Develop children’s interest to find out about people and important events and developments from recent and more distant times, making links across different periods of history.

Enable pupils to learn about different aspects of local, British and world history.

Discuss with the children why things happened or changed and the results.

Encourage the children to carry out historical enquiries using a variety of sources of information and look at how and why the past is interpreted in different ways.

Help children to develop respect for evidence and the ability to be critical of the evidence.

Help children use their understanding of chronology and historical terms when talking and writing about the past.

Support pupil’s personal and social development through historical study, exploring the issues of spiritual, moral, cultural and social education.

 

The National Curriculum 2000 for History requires that Historical enquiry and skills are used when developing chronological understanding, knowledge and understanding of events people and changes of the past. These, in turn, are taught through the study of a topic. At Camden Junior School we cover the following: Victorian Britain, Ancient Greece, Britain since 1930, Ancient Egypt, Romans, Saxons and Vikings in Britain and Life in Tudor Times.

History should take up about 30 hours of curriculum time per year (about 50 minutes per week)

The school has a scheme of work for each topic that is under constant review. It shows what is to be taught and when it is taught, the learning outcomes, and assessment opportunities. The QCA has provided a scheme of work that the school can use to supplement and augment its own. History is taught by the class teacher, and is usually delivered through topics, although occasionally a specific subject lesson may be preferable.

The history scheme of work for each topic should provide opportunities for children to progress from using everyday language to using precise historical vocabulary; from personal historical knowledge of a few areas to understanding a wider range of areas and links between them; to recognising patterns and events and be able to explain them; be able to provide more reasoned explanations; to use historical knowledge to back up judgements; to become an independent learner.

There are opportunities to link history with other curriculum areas -literacy, geography, art, design and technology, maths and ICT in particular lend themselves to overlap - history can also support PSHE and citizenship, encouraging pupils to develop their own opinions on issues that effect themselves and society

The National Curriculum requires that ICT, enquiry and fieldwork have important roles in the delivery of history in the curriculum.

Opportunities for the use of ICT will be promoted. These will include: -

• Use of commercially produced historical software

• Presentation of work using word processors

• Communication and information gathering using the Internet and e-mail

• Gathering of evidence by means of digital camera and tape recording

Pupils should be taught how to find out about the events, people and changes studied from an appropriate range of sources of information, including ICT based sources including pictures, photographs, music, artefacts and old maps. To ask and answer questions and to select activities that takes place outside the classroom visiting historic buildings and visits to museums, galleries and sites. Pupils should develop fieldwork skills and be able to locate and record information relevant to the focus of the enquiry.

Pupil’s progress will be assessed and monitored during the year through normal teacher planning and observation. The National Curriculum 2000 provides attainment targets for history levels 1 to 8; pupils would generally be working in the range of level 2 to 5, although there may be some working above and below the range. The QCA schemes of work provide three levels of expectations at the end of a unit, which form the basis of a manageable assessment.

Individual teacher records will chart progress. A whole school record of topics will be kept to assist with future planning for continuity and progression.

Reporting to parents is done through an annual written report and through parental interviews.

All pupils will be given equal access to the history curriculum irrespective of their gender, ethnicity and social background to enable them to develop to their full potential. Developments will be in line with the school policy on equal opportunities.

All pupils should have access to materials and opportunities appropriate to their specific needs. Differentiation of learning objectives, tasks, resources and teaching methods will be included in the planning stage to suit the needs of individual pupils. Able pupils need to be challenged with open-ended tasks that provide opportunities to tackle more complex issues and use a wider range of resources. The needs of specific pupils will be provided for in line with the schools policy on SEN.

This document will be regularly updated and take account of any future developments in the subject.

The co-ordinator will also monitor and evaluate the teaching and learning of the subject and report regularly to the senior management team and the governing body.