The History Curriculum at Leigh Church of England Academy will ensure that all children leave our school well-equipped with a coherent understanding of their past at a local, national and worldwide scale. Children will have the opportunity to learn, apply and strengthen skills required in the investigation, interpretation and critical analysis of key events, people, societies and concepts within history.

We believe that History stimulates children’s interest and understanding of the lives of people who have lived in the past and how this will shape our future. Life is complex, but a fundamental understanding of the lives of people who have lived in the past, and how their decisions shaped the world our children inhabit today, allows them to see how they can change the world in the future – in keeping with our vision to create a curriculum where our children can see themselves in the world and ‘Aim Ever Higher.’

Through carefully selected and prepared learning, we shall build on children’s knowledge, ensuring that they leave us with a robust, coherent understating of Britain’s past and the wider world. They will learn the skills in order to become good historians, developing their ability to gather relevant information and questioning the validity, reliability and authenticity of sources.

Within each unit children are given opportunities to develop a chronologically secure knowledge, making links within and across the periods they study. Regular recapping of previous learning provide children with the opportunity to reflect on the knowledge they have learnt- from recent lessons and further back. Ensuring that students ‘Know More and Remember More’. Lessons also provide children with opportunities to develop key historical skills. These include:

• making connections and contrasts
• answering and asking historically valid questions and using historical terms
• researching, selecting, using and evaluating a variety of sources.

History is a subject that lends itself to exploratory learning and therefore we strive to provide our children with an array of experiences, opportunities and excursions which, bring their learning to life; allowing them to use something tangible with which to learn, as well as using the idea of awe and wonder to hook them in!

In Reception, History is taught as part of the ‘past and present’ aspect of ‘Understanding the World’. It is taught through whole class, small group and 1:1 learning with a mixture of adult-led learning and some child-initiated learning with sustained shared thinking. As children transition to KS1, the history curriculum provides opportunity to explore historical knowledge through an understanding of the local area and significant historical events and individuals, particularly those who have had an impact upon

Through Lower KS2, the children begin to learn about the key periods of time associated with British History, from the Stone Age, through to the conquering of the nation by the Normans in 1066. Using this carefully developed understanding of chronology, students are then prepared for deeper, investigate learning centering on themes or significant events such as Crime and Punishment, The Titanic, or the Changing Power of Monarchy. Where possible, links have been consciously made to significant individuals and events from the past in Coventry, enabling children to understand the heritage of the city in which they live and why, allowing them to see themselves in their curriculum

Through the humanities, learning follows a carefully considered, research-informed lesson structure. The key learning for each unit is introduced begin with a Knowledge Organiser, use knowledge starters to develop vocabulary and reinforce knowledge, allow an opportunity for children to showcase what they have learned around their big question and end of unit quiz to demonstrate an understanding of their key knowledge learned throughout the unit.

Assessing outcomes in History is rigorous and focused. Teachers regularly review learning and knowledge within and after lessons, adapting their teaching as a result.

Progress in skills and knowledge acquired over time is assessed by the teacher, in collaboration with the History Subject Leader. The History subject leader completes regular monitoring of attainment and progress through a combination of pupil voice, book monitoring and matching actual outcomes to intended outcomes as identified in the History ‘National Curriculum– Knowledge, Skills and Vocabulary Routeway’ document. From this monitoring, key actions are given to the teacher and are re-visited frequently.