History
At Alexandra, history provides identity (personal, national and global) and tells the stories of significant events and people. It teaches our children about the challenges and complexities of people’s lives so that they can learn from the achievements and mistakes of others, understand how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world, understand the nature of ancient civilisations and to grasp the legacy that has been left. Crucially, It also helps our children to compare and understand their own place in history.
We want Alexandra pupils to move on to KS3 not only having built up a genuine sense of interest in and excitement about history but to also be equipped with strong historical enquiry skills and to have gained a deeper understanding of the world they live in and the part that they can play in it.
Rooted in KnowledgeAt Alexandra, planning for history is based on the National Curriculum and is hinged on the teaching of key historical concepts and our ‘Big Ideas’:
Key Historical Concepts
Time, change and chronology - to create a sense of period and time, the sequence of when things happened.
Reasons and results - How can we explain why things happened in history, how did people make a difference to what happened and what followed as a result?
Interpretations - Do we understand the past in the same way?
Historical evidence - How can we find out about the past? What are the challenges with using historical sources?
Significance - How do we choose what is important in history?
Big Ideas
Empire, Exploration, Democracy, Invaders and Settlers, Monarchy, Myth and Legend, Religion, Social Hierarchy.
The teaching of history provides many opportunities to deepen and extend children’s learning through memorable experiences. We are fortunate to be located within close proximity to some world-renowned museums, galleries and historical locations and ensure these are used to enhance the learning experience.
How is learning sequenced?
Learning is sequenced using the history progression document aimed at developing historical enquiry skills (see below). Lessons are planned and delivered to ensure that learning is memorable and that key knowledge, vocabulary and skills are revisited, remembered and applied to new learning. The use of knowledge organisers and retrieval practice ensures that children know more and retain more in their long term memory.
Alexandra Primary School history progression - developing historical enquiry through: |
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Knowledge of:
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Understanding of:
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Big Ideas to develop: Monarchy, religion, civilisation, religion, society, empire, exploration, democracy, social hierarchy. |
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Early years |
KS1 |
KS2 |
Chronological knowledge / understanding- including characteristic features of periods |
-Use everyday language related to time. - Order and sequence familiar events. - Describe main story settings, events, and principal characters. - Talk about past and present events in their own lives and in the lives of family members. |
- Develop an awareness of the past. - Use common words and phrases relating to the passing of time. - Know where all people / events studied fit into a chronological framework. - Identify similarities, differences between periods. |
- Continue to develop chronologically secure knowledge of history. - Establish clear narratives within and across periods studied. - Note connections, contrasts, and trends over time. |
Historical terms |
- Extend vocabulary, especially by grouping and naming, exploring meaning and sounds of new words. |
- Use a wide variety of everyday historical terms. |
- Use historical terms and concepts in increasingly sophisticated ways. |
Historical enquiry Using evidence / communicating ideas |
- Be curious about people and show interest in stories and rhymes. - Answer how and why questions- in response to stories and events. - Explain their own knowledge and understanding and ask appropriate questions. - Know that information can be retrieved from books and computers. - Record using marks that they can interpret and explain. |
- Ask and answer questions. - Understand some ways we can find out about the past. - Choose and use parts of stories and other sources to show understanding of concepts. |
- Regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions. - Understand how knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources. - Construct informed responses by selecting and organising relevant historical information. |
Interpretations of history |
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- Identify different ways in which the past is represented. |
- Understand that different versions of the past may exist, giving some reasons for this. |
Continuity and change |
- Look at similarities, differences, patterns, and change. - Comment on images of familiar situations in the past- similarities and differences. - Compare and contrast characters including characters from stories in the past. |
- Identify similarities and differences between ways of life at different times. |
- Describe / make links between main events and situations and changes within and across different periods / societies. |
Cause and consequence |
- Question why things happen and give explanations. |
- Recognise why people did things, why events happened and what happened as a result. |
- Analyse / explain reasons for, and results of, historical events, situations, and change. |
Similarity and difference |
- Know about similarities and differences between themselves and others and among families, communities, and traditions. |
- Make simple observations about different types of people, events, beliefs within a society. |
- Describe social, cultural, religious and ethnic diversity in Britain and the wider world. |
Significance of events and people |
- Recognise and describe special times or events for family or friends. |
- Talk about who was important e.g. in a simple historical account. |
- Identify historically significant people and events in situations. |
History in the Early Years
During the EYFS, children are taught to show an interest in the lives of people who are familiar to them.
- Remember and talk about significant events in their own experience.
- Recognise and describe special times or events for family or friends.
- Show an interest in different occupations and ways of life.
- Know some of the things that make them unique, and talk about some of the similarities and differences in relation to friends or family.
- Comment on images of familiar situations in the past.
- Compare and contrast characters from stories including figures from the past.
Overview of Learning in EYFS, KS1 & KS2
Alexandra Primary school - History subject coverage |
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Year group |
Autumn |
Spring |
Summer |
Reception |
Simple timelines Traditional tales: exploring characters from the past. Explore animations from the past and compare e.g early Walt Disney. |
Investigating / ordering transport from the present and past. |
Investigating the origins of Richmond Park and Henry VIII. |
Year 1 |
Changes within living memory My personal History |
Significant individuals - Neil Armstrong |
Significant individuals - David Attenborough |
Year 2 |
Great Fire of London |
Captain Scott |
Nurturing Nurses |
Year 3 |
Ancient Egypt |
Stone Age to Iron Age |
The Roman Empire and its impact on Britain |
Year 4 |
Ancient Greece |
Anglo-Saxons Vikings |
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Year 5 |
Early Islamic Civilization |
Crime and punishment throughout history |
Tudors |
Year 6 |
Victorian Britain, dark era or golden age?
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The importance of the River Thames over time |
Was World War II purely won and lost on the battlefield? Why was World War II a global conflict? The Blitz in Kingston - a local study |
Teachers assess children during lessons, having discussions with pupils and using evidence in books. Assessment is used to inform future lessons, ensuring children are supported and challenged appropriately. Regular flashback retrieval/quizzes are used to constantly assess long-term learning as well as the current unit.
Final end of year assessments are made using criteria that have been developed in line with the National Curriculum to identify the level at which the child is working. Age related expectation levels are reported to parents at the end of each year.
History is monitored through a variety of strategies, including: planning and book scrutiny, lesson observations and pupil voice activities.
Our school values of excellence, nurture, community and exploration are at the core of our teaching and learning.