History
“The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future”
Through history, we can learn how past societies, systems, ideologies, governments, cultures and technologies were built, how they operated, and how they have changed. All this knowledge makes pupils more rounded people who are better prepared to learn in all their academic subjects.
INTENT
History is chaotic and random, but pupils will begin to understand that the planetary process can offer some explanation to some seemingly unrelated facets of the world history. Historians decipher and interpret humanity’s written accounts to tell the story of our earliest civilisations. Archaeologists brushing the dust-off artefacts to inform us about our prehistory and lives as hunter- gatherers.
Cornwall and Camborne particularly have historically, utilised its natural resources. It has a rich mining history in coal, tin and copper, with Cornish miners to this day being considered some of the best in the world. Pupils will learn how Richard Trevithick, from Camborne, invented the steam engine, which was the beginning of the Industrial revolution.
IMPLEMENTATION
Curriculum Design:
Our units of learning are structured using half-termly whole school themes, with a geography or history focus. Geography units develop the concepts of place, space, and scale. Where possible they provide the geographical context for the following history topic. In history, the periods studied enable pupils to make connections in local and world history by developing the key substantive and disciplinary knowledge of: Cause and Consequence, Chronological Knowledge, Change, Continuity and Progression, Power, Similarity and Difference, Historical Significance and Sources and Evidence.
Our Medium-Term Plans (MTP) are supported by ‘small steps in progression’ documents- ensuring a progression in both concepts, content, and skills. An example of which can be seen further below.
Lesson Design
Using the the Rosenshine Principles of Instructions pupils will be encouraged to ‘think like a geographer or historian’. With the support of the Geographical and Historical Associations documents teachers plan for: enquiry-based learning using explicit instruction, modelled examples; use of metacognitive talk using subject specific vocabulary and provide guided and independent practice opportunities.
Pupils will be challenged to consider the danger of a ‘single story’ by identifying facts and opinions, identifying bias, evaluating evidence, developing empathy, challenging a charity mentality, and starting with stories about us and mutual respect and values.
Knowledge organisers are used to support pupils with their learning and focus on the key concepts and disciplinary knowledge identified, along with a focus on key vocabulary.
Impact
As the History curriculum is defined and sequenced with attention to the types of knowledge – our assessment design is precise. Our assessment identifies the specific knowledge students have learnt and can apply, it pinpoints misconceptions and is incremental. We identify how far each aspect of the curriculum has been mastered. The evidence of impact is subject specific and ranges from written outcomes, pupils’ articulation of learning, visual presentations, drama, music or dance.
Assessment for learning- (daily; in class)
- Using consistent feedback and marking strategies- against success criteria (See Marking and Feedback Policy)
- Targeted questioning
- Pupil self-assessment and peer-assessment- against success criteria
- Low stakes testing – ‘Rapid Recall’
Formative Assessment
- Teachers assess at the beginning and end of every unit geography and history unit, through pupils answering an overarching question for the unit of learning.
- Knowledge, skills, and concepts of foundation subjects are assessed through the answering of Fertile questions.
- Learning in History is evidenced in our learning conversations (adult/child, child/child, etc).
- Learning in History is evidenced in targeted questioning and response.