Implementation

At Joseph Turner Primary School, we pride ourselves on the consistent approach to teaching and learning that can be observed across all phases of school. This is achieved through our commitment to and use of quality-first teaching on a daily basis. Expectations of staff and pupils are high resulting in good progress in all phases. There is a universal understanding of what outstanding teaching, learning and assessment should entail. These strategies are consistently used throughout school and it is the expectation of leadership that all lessons will include a variety of these to enable all learners to reach their full potential. Active learning is essential in all aspects of the lesson. All staff use the same terminology so learners develop a knowledge and understanding of the different ways they learn. At Joseph Turner, we believe outstanding teaching, learning and assessment must include:

1. Challenge for all

2. Collaborative learning

3. Assessment for learning

4. Questioning using Blooms

5. Progression within lessons and books

6. Learning behaviours

We are working hard to promote our pupils’ literacy and ensure they all achieve to the very best of their ability. Pupils are encouraged to read widely and often. Literacy is fundamental to all subjects. Consequently, we believe that all stakeholders have a role to play in supporting and developing our pupils’ literacy skills to ensure they can communicate effectively in today’s society. Vocabulary is also a key priority at Joseph Turner and lessons will focus on tiered vocabulary and ensuring children can use this appropriately. By the end of their primary education, our pupils will have an understanding of British history from Stone Age to present day. They will also be able to draw comparisons and make connections between different periods of history and have an understanding of ancient civilisations, such as ancient Mayans and Greeks. We use the History National Curriculum Programme of Study to inform our curriculum and to guide us on the focus and content of each objective. Cross curricular learning enriches the topic where appropriate. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, history learning is developed within the ‘Understanding of the World’ Development Matters strand. In Key Stage One and Key Stage Two, history is taught in a block, termly focusing on the knowledge and skills stated in the National Curriculum. At Joseph Turner, we understand the importance of allowing children to gain ‘real-life’ experiences and the themes for the term are usually accompanied by a ‘hook’ or visit, to provide the children with first-hand experiences to support and develop their knowledge and understanding.

In EYFS, children will be taught how to:

·talk about past and present events in their own lives as well as in the lives of family members.

· to understand similarities and differences between themselves and others, and among families, communities and traditions.

. understand the past through settings, characters and events encountered in books read in class and storytelling.

In Key Stage One, children will be taught:

· changes within living memory;

· events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally;

· the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements;

· significant historical events, people and places within their own locality.

In Key Stage One, history is about developing knowledge, skills and understanding relating to the children’s own experiences, with a large focus on understanding chronology and the local community around them. This acts as a foundation so that, when children reach Key Stage Two, they have enough knowledge and experience to learn about more abstract concepts such as the Stone Age and the Romans.

In Key Stage Two, children will be taught:

· changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age

· the Roman Empire and its impact on Britain

· Britain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots

· the Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor

· a local history study based on Black Country heritage and history

· the achievements of the earliest civilisations of Ancient Egypt

· a study of Ancient Greece 

· study of a non-European society that provides contrast with British history: The Maya civilization

· a study that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066- a focus on the World Wars.

In Key Stage Two, history is about developing knowledge, skills and understanding relating to different periods of history, intertwined with the development of more local topics. At Joseph Turner, pupils will begin to weigh up historical evidence and use historical terminology fluently in their lessons. By the time pupils reach the end of Year 6, they should have a clear understanding of the world around them and why it is the way it is, whilst being able to judge the validity of certain information.

The skills that are embedded as part of our history curriculum at Joseph Turner are as follows:

· a chronological awareness and understanding

· a range and depth of historical knowledge and understanding

· historical contexts

· organisation and communication

Staff are expected to cover these objectives and skills throughout the academic year and evidence of coverage should be taught in blocks across the term in their history books. On a termly basis, teachers are expected to assess the attainment of the objectives, using the given assessment pro forma. These assessments will indicate whether the child is working towards, working at or working above the expected standard for their year group.

Impact

The history curriculum at Joseph Turner Primary School will ensure that all children have a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world by the time they leave Year 6. Furthermore, it will also ensure that pupils are equipped with historical skills and knowledge to enable them to thrive in Key Stage Three and beyond, and it will enable pupils to contribute successfully to their wider community. As well as this, children should leave being able to think critically, ask perceptive questions, weigh up evidence and develop perspective and judgement. Overall, history at Joseph Turner 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 challenges of their time.