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History curriculum MAPPLEWELL PRIMARY SCHOOL - PROGRESSION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

Our approach to the History curriculum is to deliver it through a 2 year cycle within each phase. This ensures every pupil leaves each phase having covered the same objectives and having been given the same opportunities to build Historical skills.

The key concepts, principles and themes have been developed from the National Curriculum into a range of progressive knowledge and skills through which the pupils are helped to grow and develop to succeed in 21st century Britain. This knowledge and skills-based curriculum allows a creative way of teaching and learning, enabling us to move away from discrete lessons into a more meaningful, engaging, topic based approach.

Pupils at Mapplewell make progress in history through building their knowledge of the past, and of how historians study the past and construct accounts. Teaching supports pupil progress by embedding frameworks of content and concepts that enable pupils to access future material. Abstract concepts are best learned through meaningful examples and repeated encounters in different contexts.

An example of this is ‘substantive’ concepts. Planned, systematic encounters with substantive concepts in specific and varied contexts support pupils’ progress. Many of these concepts feature regularly throughout the study of history in a range of contexts. As a result, they are particularly important to pupils’ understanding of new material.

At Mapplewell, we have collated various substantive concepts into categories to consider when planning historical topics. Teachers might cover a range of key concepts during the study of a civilisation or era and some of these will be revisited in children’s later studies to ensure progression in history.

The History curriculum we offer is designed to meet the needs of all our pupils. It is rich, varied, imaginative and ambitious and meets the needs of individual learners by can easily be adapted for pupils with additional needs. The knowledge organiser breaks down knowledge in to small granular parts that Pupils and Teachers know by the end of each lesson.

Above is an example of a year 2 unit of work in History.
Early Years

History learning experiences falls within the Understanding the World area of learning with a particular focus on Past and Present.

Golden Threads illustrate how skills are built as pupils move through different phases of Education. The example above shows how pupils developed skills around chronology in a range contexts and clearly displays the progression of skills.

The History curriculum is rich and varied and provides our pupils with the skills required for life in the 21st Century.

The Accelerated Learning Cycle, based on the work of Alastair Smith, is applied in all lessons. It stems from the idea of a supportive and challenging learning environment. The cycle has active engagement through multi- sensory learning, encourages the demonstrating understanding of learning in a variety of ways and the consolidation of knowing.

We use exciting hooks to enthuse pupils and ensure that they have a thirst for the unit. The knowledge organiser shows the skills and knowledge that the pupils will develop throughout the unit, before creating a final outcome.

To ensure History is accessible for all pupils, adaptations will be evident in all lessons and scaffold will be provided to ensure all pupils can work towards the same objective. Adaptations will also be evident to stretch and challenge pupils further.

Formative assessment is ongoing throughout each lesson. It judges progress and enables teachers to make flexible adaptions to their planned teaching.

Through this regular ongoing assessment, tasks are matched to the ability of each child through differentiated activities, adult support, providing a level of challenge that is stimulating for pupils and questioning skills.

INSIGHT is used as a summative assessment to assess foundation subjects. The knowledge and skills based curriculum is regularly highlighted to identify any gaps or misconceptions to be addressed or passed onto the following teachers.

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Created with images by Skitterphoto - "san galgano abbey ruins" • nonbirinonko - "greece parthenon temple" • spalla67 - "florence firenze italy" • Pexels - "arches leaning tower of pisa architecture" • rainhard2 - "rome landmark italy"