History

At Streatham Wells School, we teach our children holistically, teaching the ‘whole child’ not just academically, but socially and emotionally, building strength of character, resilience and determination.

We empower our children to explore, learn and take risks through inspirational teaching delivered in a safe, nurturing environment. We challenge our children and each other to try things that haven’t been done before, to be the very best we can. This pioneering spirit is celebrated within our school. Pushing oneself and the boundaries in a safe environment creates a shared halo with our children, building within them a sense of discovery, inquisitiveness, adventure and integrity.

Our aims for teaching history at Streatham Wells are:

To promote positive, curious attitudes and enthusiasm for history.

To encourage children to use a range of sources to construct their understanding of the past.

To encourage children to ask questions and develop skills of analysis so that they can be critical and sceptical when interpreting the past.

To know and understand the history of Great Britain as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the Stone Age to Modern History.

To ensure the progressive development of historical concepts, knowledge, skills and attitudes by building on previous years.

To include a broad range of world history so that the pupils learn about other concurrent, global civilisations and how Britain has been influenced by the wider world.

To include a diverse range of individuals studied by pupils to reflect the multinational, multiracial and multifaceted nature of our community and our history.

To ensure pupils understand that the society in which they live has been formed by developments in the past.

To make connections between local, national, and international history.

To make links between cultural, economic, political, religious and social history.

To make connections to other subjects, for example links with Literacy and Art and Design.

To encourage pupils to develop a confident use of historical vocabulary to communicate their understanding of the past accurately and fluently.

To combine historical skills of analysis and judgement to form a coherent and balanced answer to an inquiry question.

To empower teachers to feel confident as experts in their areas of historical understanding.

General Curriculum Overview

Within each unit, the pupils learn through addressing an inquiry question (‘Big Question’) that combines the pupils’ skills and knowledge with judgement and analysis. These questions encourage the pupils to weigh up evidence critically over the half-term and apply it, responding to a matter pertaining to the epoch(s) they are considering. These questions reinforce the nature of the long arc of development throughout a period (or periods) of history by picking out themes through which to frame their learning. The cumulative effect will ensure each pupil leaves Streatham Wells with an in-depth but broad range of key historical concepts and knowledge, including a wealth of rich historical vocabulary that is built up each year.

Key Stage 1

In accordance to the National Curriculum, Key Stage 1 pupils cover four areas throughout their two years:

Changes within living memory.

Events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally.

The lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements.

Significant historical events, people and places in their own locality.

The pupils are given ample opportunity to compare aspects of life throughout these four units, as well as analyse how the epochs, events and people they study are significant nationally and globally. Through the use of timelines and displays, they understand where these events and people fit within a chronological framework. They are given hands-on experience with artefacts and opportunities to get out of the classroom to apply their knowledge to their everyday life. They are encouraged to use common words relating to the passing of time, which gradually builds to become more historically accurate and specific. They engage with historical concepts such as similarities and difference, continuity and change and cause and consequence, and begin to retell stories about the past and make judgements based on historical evidence.

Key Stage 2

Pupils begin their chronological understanding of the past in Key Stage 2 by addressing the National Curriculum topics in order, beginning with the Stone Age. The final year at Streatham Wells allows them to step out of their strong chronological foundation and address thematic concepts. Each unit starts with slotting the new epoch into their class timeline to establish and reinforce a rigorous mental chronological framework.

In accordance with the National Curriculum guideline, pupils study:

The changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age

The achievements of the earliest civilizations – an overview of where and when the first civilizations appeared and a depth study of Ancient Egypt.

Ancient Greece – a study of Greek life and achievements and their influence on the western world

The Roman Empire and its impact on Britain

Britain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots

The Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor

A study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066

A local history study

By building up their knowledge in this way, pupils establish narratives and note connections or contrasts between the periods they study. They are continuously exposed to a variety of sources and discuss their reliability with a developing understanding of bias, and how motives and circumstances need to be considered alongside the source itself when constructing an understanding of the past. They use these sources to create thoughtful, informed responses to questions with a critical eye.

Entitlement for our pupils

By the end of each Key Stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study. This will culminate in a considered response to an inquiry question which will demonstrate the range and depth of their understanding of the topic. History is taught regularly as part of a half term topic and is taught through a topic-based curriculum where appropriate and possible.