History
At Wynyard Church of England Primary School, we believe that history ignites curiosity, enriches the imagination and develops a sense of identity through learning about the past in Britain and the wider world. We believe that by learning about the footprints our predecessors leave behind, we can better understand the world we live in today and make informed decisions about the footprints we may leave in the future, as today’s present is tomorrow’s past.
We intend to bring history to life and instil a desire to find out about the history of Britain and the wider world. Central to our curriculum is an enquiry-based approach, where we explore the past and learn about key periods. We see history as an opportunity to develop skills of enquiry, questioning and critical thinking; to become open minded ‘historical detectives’. We explore the past in a fun and engaging way; children encounter/ participate in high quality visitors or visits/events with a history focus which inspires children’s curiosity. Children will develop an understanding of historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance, and use them to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame historically valid questions and create their own structured accounts. Children will use a range of different sources to enquire about past events. Children will also develop a rich vocabulary of historical language and use this when communicating and discussing their history learning.
At Wynyard Church of England Primary School, history is taught throughout the year, so that children achieve depth in their learning. By the end of year 6, children will have a chronological understanding of British history from the Stone Age to the present day. They are able to draw comparisons and make connections between different time periods and their own lives. Interlinked with this, are studies of world history. Cross curricular outcomes in history are specifically planned for, with strong links between the history curriculum and English lessons enabling further contextual learning. Work presented in books, demonstrates pupils are acquiring knowledge, skills and vocabulary in an appropriate sequence. Student voice shows that they are confident and able to talk about what they have learnt in history using subject specific vocabulary and demonstrates that pupils enjoy history, are eager to find out more and are able to recall their learning over time.
