Practice

A Policy for History Coppull St John’s Church of England Primary School

COPPULL ST JOHN’S C.E. PRIMARY SCHOOL History Policy Purpose of this document This policy reflects the school’s values and philosophy in relation to the teaching and learning of History. It sets out a framework within which teaching and non-teaching staff can operate and gives guidance on planning, teaching and assessment. The policy should be read in conjunction with the skills based curriculum, which sets out in detail the objectives that children meet at each level, and the long term plan, which states the topics that will be covered over the course of the Early Years Foundation Stage, KS1 and KS2.

What do we mean by History?

At Coppull St John’s C.E Primary School we believe that by learning about the past the children can make sense of the world in which they live. The past has influenced all our lives, and has shaped the lives of communities. It is our aim, using the National Curriculum Programmes of Study, to arouse interest in the past, and to help children develop a sense of identity through learning about the development of Britain, Europe and the world.

History will contribute to children’s knowledge and understanding of other countries and cultures and introduce them to the skills involved in understanding and interpreting the past.

Why is History important?

History is important because it gives children the opportunity to develop an understanding of the past in terms of:  how things change;  why things happen and what are the outcomes of events;  the differences between life at different times and also between that of different things people say, write and draw about the past, and the reasons for this;  how we know about the past, and the skills needed to use the sources of evidence which survive from the past to enable us to do this We need to make sure that the understanding outlined above takes place within a secure framework of knowledge about the past and that we enable progression, in terms of understanding, skills and knowledge.

Statement of aims  To provide children with an experience of History that is both valid and stimulating.  To enable children to gain an understanding of the past, with relation to themselves, their families, their communities and the wider world, as appropriate to age, ability and aptitude.  To encourage a lively and questioning approach to History that will enable children to enjoy what they do.  To encourage awareness that, although there are links between History and other subject areas, the study of the past is, in itself, a separate and important discipline.  To enable children to understand how they themselves fit into the pattern of past and present in Britain and the world.

How will History be implemented throughout the school?

History will have a place in the whole school policy and may be linked with other subjects in the curriculum e.g. Geography, Science and Numeracy. The planning of the subject will begin with a topic and lead to short term plans through a skills based approach.

History in the Early Years Foundation Stage and KS1 will be taught as part of an integrated topic over a three year cycle. In Key Stage 2, History topics will take the form of a two year cycle.

Teaching Styles Within classes pupils are taught: Individually  Grouped according to ability or age  As a class  As a combination of the above, as appropriate, according to the learning activities A variety of resources are used including artefacts, the internet, books, worksheets, stories, group discussions, displays and classroom activities. Where possible school trips, extra curricular activities and visitors will be organised to enhance children’s experiences in a given topic area.

Continuity and Progression Subject planning takes place at a whole school level on an annual basis to ensure continuity and avoid unnecessary duplication or omission. Planning and evaluating takes place at class level and is the responsibility of the class teachers and the curriculum co-ordinator.

Planning is used to: Set clear, achievable goals  Ensure work is matched to children’s abilities, experience and interests  Develop assessment procedures  Provide criteria for evaluation of teaching and learning All plans are available to the Head Teacher and are monitored by the curriculum co-ordinator.

Inclusion Through careful planning and evaluating, learning activities will be sequenced to ensure opportunity for progression of all our children.

(Please refer to School Equal Opportunities and Special Educational Needs Policies)

Assessment and Recording Assessment is carried out to enhance teaching and learning and is the responsibility of class teachers, the History co-ordinator and the Head Teacher.

The assessment of children will be done in a variety of ways: Observing children at work, individually and in groups  By questioning, talking and listening to children  By assessing work produced A yearly report, giving a child’s progress in History will be produced and differentiation in levels of work will be noted.

Staff Development Staff needs may be identified through:  Appraisal  Curriculum review/evaluation  Inspection/external advice  School improvement plan Information is offered by the History Co-ordinator on planning and teaching activities and a variety of resources are available. For more in-depth development staff can attend courses delivered by the appropriate body.

Cross-curricular links Links between History and cross curricular themes may be identified by the class teacher and the History co-ordinator. The scheme of work also suggests the following links: European awareness Health education

Economic and industrial understanding Citizenship Careers education and guidance Equal opportunities Multi-cultural education Environmental education Teacher planning provides the opportunity to develop the skills of: Communication I.T Numeracy Study skills Problem solving Personal and social education skills Literacy Observation, discrimination and manipulative skills Writing and recording skills Collaborative skills

Resources History resources are labelled and stored upstairs in the school house. There are also resources in the school library and on the internet. Responsibility for maintenance of the resources lies with class teachers and the co-ordinator. It is the responsibility of the co-ordinator to review and update the resources available.

Review This policy will be reviewed annually to ensure that all areas are in keeping with the latest adjustments in the National Curriculum and whole school recommendations.

History Co-ordinator: Laura Stanton Date: September 2012 Review Date: September 2013