At Half Acres Primary Academy, we believe that high-quality history lessons inspire children to want to know more about the past and to think and act as historians. By linking learning to a range of topics, children have opportunities to investigate and interpret the past, understand chronology, build an overview of Britain’s past as well as that of the wider world, and to be able to communicate historically. Teaching should equip pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgements. History helps pupils to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenge of their time.
We develop children with the following essential characteristics to help them become historians:
Historical learning starts from the moment children come to our school in our Early Years environment. They learn through the provision areas provided and adults encouraging the children to talk and engage in these.
As an Academy we are focused on aiding the children to develop their subject specific vocabulary. Teachers use their History working wall to display the vocabulary that is being taught in the current topic. These are referred to, not only in History lessons but in other lessons where they are appropriate.
We are focused on helping children to know more and remember more. At the beginning of every History topic a knowledge organiser is sent home. A knowledge organiser will include key words, dates and facts linked to the specific topic being taught. The aim of this is to help children remember more by practising at home which will positively influence their learning within school. Teachers bring in the knowledge from the organisers to lessons through a weekly/fortnightly quiz and within lessons.
Reading is a thoroughly important skill our Academy is passionate about teaching pupils. Our school encourages teachers to use non-fiction texts and stories based on the specific subject being taught in their History lessons. We hope this will help children gain understanding and enhance their subject specific knowledge. We are determined for children to enjoy reading for pleasure and we think it is highly important for our class reading corners to include both non-fiction texts and subject specific stories to add to the pupil’s experience of the wider curriculum.
It is very important for our children to be able to visually see different source types from different aspects of History. Teachers aim to do this through the use of artefacts, both physical and visual where possible. Trips and visitors into school are arranged by members of staff where appropriate to further the children’s knowledge, understanding and skills. This allows many topics to come to life for the children thus furthering their development in the specific topic.
Our Academy is working to make sure all History teaching within our school is consistent so the pupils can get as much out of the lessons planned as possible. Our teachers feel it is very important for all our children to understand what History actually means before starting their lesson, thus allowing the children to become good historians.
Learners have the knowledge and skills to work like a historian. They know more and remember more and make sustained progress in history which is assessed against progressive steps. Children develop an understanding of how the past has influenced their lives today and recognise that historical events can shape their future.
