History (Discover)

‘A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots’

Marcus Garvey

At Buston and Tivetshall Primary Schools, we have a deep commitment to nurturing children's curiosity about the past and instilling a strong sense of identity. Our history curriculum reflects the rich diversity of our school community and celebrates the historical heritage of our students and their families.

In line with the National Curriculum, we guide our students to ask perceptive questions, think critically, assess evidence, evaluate arguments, and develop perspective and judgment. Our goal is to help them grasp the intricacies of people's lives, the processes of change, the diversity of societies, and the interplay between different groups. Additionally, we encourage them to explore their own identities and understand the challenges of their time.

Curriculum Coverage:

We firmly believe that a history curriculum should provide both mirrors and windows for our students. Mirrors that reflect their own experiences and windows that open onto the lives and stories of people from diverse backgrounds. To achieve this, we select subject content from the National Curriculum and construct in-depth studies of historical periods that resonate with our unique school community.

Curriculum Progression:

Our history curriculum is built upon four interconnected strands of knowledge:

  1. Procedural Knowledge: This represents the historian's skills and is vertically integrated into our curriculum, allowing students to revisit and deepen their understanding as they progress through different year groups. For instance, we teach them how to analyse historical sources, starting in KS1 and gradually advancing to more complex sources.

  2. Disciplinary Knowledge: This involves the methods and conceptual frameworks used by historians and is based on the National Curriculum and assessment objectives at GCSE and A-Level. We present these concepts as 'Big Ideas' that historians use to approach their subject.

  3. Substantive Knowledge: This is the historical content taught in each year group, highlighting our students' historical heritage and ensuring representation and sensitivity to our community. Substantive concepts, such as Empire, Monarchy, Law, or Conflict, appear across the curriculum, fostering familiarity and confidence in our students.

  4. Repetition and Retrieval: Our curriculum emphasizes repetition and retrieval to enhance students' retention and application of historical skills and concepts. This approach ensures that students leave Key Stage Two with a high level of independence in applying historical skills and frameworks.

Assessment: We believe that assessment in History extends beyond memorizing facts and dates. At the end of each history project, we assess our students' ability to apply their knowledge through a final assessment piece. This assessment includes an unseen historical source related to the studied period, enabling students to apply the knowledge and skills they've acquired during the project. This assessment informs us about their grasp of the curriculum, covering substantive, disciplinary, and procedural knowledge."

Documents

Page Downloads Date  
KS2 Autumn 23 21st Nov 2023 Download
Knowledge Organisers Date  
KS2 Autumn 23 21st Nov 2023 Download
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