History

At Bywell Junior School we recognise the value a high-quality History curriculum can offer to our pupils. It should aim to inspire a curiosity and fascination about Britain’s past and that of the wider world. Through a rich and diverse breadth of study across the year groups, pupils will become equipped to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh up and debate the validity of evidence, study sources and develop judgements.

As well as developing a strong sense of chronology, through visual timelines in our classrooms, our History curriculum aims to improve decision making, enhance a sense of right and wrong and what is fair as well as allowing children to identify or show compassion to cultures and civilisations from the past. Our History curriculum aims to fulfil the requirements of the National Curriculum; providing a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum, which encompasses both the British Values and Bywell’s own Core Values throughout. We ensure progressive development of historical concepts, knowledge and skills and an understanding of primary and secondary sources.

We want children to enjoy learning about History by teaching engaging, thought-provoking lessons, immersive activities, drama and use of artefacts. However, opportunities will also be provided, where possible, to bring in additional visitors in to school, have History themed days and provide meaningful educational visits all designed to stimulate the children’s curiosity about the past and how that past influences the present and shapes the future.

• Teachers are confident that all the National Curriculum objectives are being taught and there is clear progression throughout each year group.
• Medium term planning is reviewed to ensure that knowledge based catch-up lessons are planned for and learning opportunities executed regularly.
• History is taught in weekly hour slots three half-terms a year by the class teacher. Key questions are included to challenge understanding. Evidence and sources are analysed to provoke historical thinking.
• Children will retain what they have learned throughout lessons and during different parts of the academic year. Quizzes will further capture learning to ensure children retain what they have learned
• All staff are confident with the processes in place to engage pupils in learning History at Bywell.
• History is displayed across school in displays with a progressive timeline visible in every class.
• Teachers subject knowledge is audited and subject specific support will be provided where needed.

•  Memory quizzes are regular and consistent throughout school. Children can see impact of regular quizzes and how their scores are improving. During topics, scores for all but a handful of children improve from the start to the end of a topic.
• Working walls are developed and are becoming increasingly more detailed with specific content.
• Book scrutiny conducted in March and again in June. There was a good variety of activities present in all books with some differentiation evident in LA books. There was some good discussion and role play opportunities to deeper understanding with a variety of good questioning to develop historical thinking. There was evidence of writing opportunities built in to the planning (especially further up school).
• Learning objectives are written as questions and are being followed in each year group for each topic.

• Planning has been checked to ensure there are more ‘source’ based lessons
• I am checking planning each half term to ensure what needs covering is being covered taking into account History is now taught an hour a week for 6 weeks instead of in blocks.
• A whole school progress document has been shared at the end of a staff meeting.
• An audit has been done. All History resources have been collected in and boxed with labels and all placed in my store cupboard so resources for a particular topic are all together.

• A pupil voice has been carried out in which children’s opinions about History lessons, memory quizzes and activities has been conducted to a small group of children in each year group.
• A book look has been conducted to ensure a range of activities are being delivered; that coverage in books matches planning; that marking and feedback is clear and relevant and to ensure enough ‘Historical Thinking’ is taking place.
• Corridor displays showcasing high quality History work from the first topic of each year group were put up.

• Work from the corridor displays showcasing high quality History work from the first topic of each year group have been handed to me to display in the History Scrapbook.
• Exercise books reviewed before the Easter holidays to ensure the second topic of each year matches planning, that there is a mixture of practical and discussion work, that marking is up to date and that the quizzes are done at the beginning and end of the topic. Most work is presented to a good standard with all work dated, Lesson Objectives written and work checked by teachers.
• Units of work continue to be reviewed by staff to ensure streamlining of content and the inclusion of relevant learning opportunities appropriate for each year group.

• A pupil survey has been carried out. Pupils views of History are very positive with very few of the children asked been able to think of what they find boring. Children would like History to include less writing and more practical lessons!
• Children’s favourite History topics varied vastly which suggests we have something for everybody and children embrace the current curriculum.
• A book scrutiny has been conducted since the last review. Topics are completed.
• Most books have a quiz at the beginning of a topic and at the end. Most show progression. This (in most cases) is correlated on the Excel document.
• A variety of practical and written work is being undertaken.
• Work is generally differentiated. Children with the multiple choice memory quiz are also have their work differentiated.

• When the recent pupil voice survey was carried out, very few children understood what a good historian is. More emphasis needs to be placed on ‘Thinking like a Historian’.
• A staff meeting suggesting ways that ‘Historical Thinking’ can be put across to the children without them having to write it down could be suggested.
• Discussion should be had with staff around how to display aspects of ‘Historical Thinking’ around the class.
• Teachers to be given feedback (in September) on the book scrutiny. Teachers to think about how their strengths can be shared and what areas there are to develop as a Year group.
• New staff to see the feedback so they have a good idea of expectations.
• A knowledge organizer to be created for the beginning of each topic to be stuck into books.
• A review to be carried out on all memory quizzes before the first History topic starts in September.