We adopt an enquiry focused approach to learning and teaching in history which develops our pupils as young historians. Through enquiry our pupils not only build subject knowledge and understanding but become increasingly adept at critical thinking, the use of specialised vocabulary and their grasp of subject concepts. Our history curriculum provides sufficient time and space for our pupils not only to acquire new knowledge and subject vocabulary but also to develop subject concepts and understand the significance of what they have learned.     

Our whole school approach to the teaching and learning of history involves the following;

• History is taught in planned topic blocks, and cross-curricular links are made where possible. This is a strategy to enable the achievement of a greater depth of knowledge. Many of these topic blocks are taken from the Connected History learning programme while some are more specific to our school and local area.

• Key enquiry questions for topic blocks and ancillary questions for lessons are used widely to encourage children’s curiosity and therefore their depth of learning of historical knowledge and skills. We structure learning in history through big question led enquiries about relevant historical topics, places and themes.  Our curriculum is therefore ‘knowledge rich’ rather than content heavy as we recognise that if we attempt to teach historical topics, places, themes and issues in their entirety we restrict opportunities for pupils to master and apply critical thinking skills and achieve more challenging subject outcomes. The learning is carefully structured through the use of ancillary questions, to enable pupils to build their knowledge and understanding in incremental steps of increasing complexity until they reach the point where they are able to answer the question posed at the beginning of the investigation.

• Learning and teaching in history also recognise the importance of the local area with a number of our investigations involving observation, recording, presentation, interpretation and the evaluation of historical information outside of the classroom e.g. significant people, places and events locally.  We make use of our local area through visits to enhance learning e.g. Stonehenge, Cranborne Ancient Technology Centre.

• Learning and teaching in history are interactive and practical allowing opportunities for pupils to work independently, in pairs and also in groups of various sizes both inside and outside of the classroom.  Wherever possible we provide our pupils with contemporaneous historical evidence including narratives, paintings, photographs, artefacts, and data in the form of censuses and films to analyse and from which to reach conclusions and make judgements.

• In the EYFS, we teach history as an integral part of the topic work covered during the year, relating the historical aspects of the children’s learning to the objectives set out in the Early Learning Goals. History makes a significant contribution to the ELG objectives of developing a child’s understanding of the world.

Assessment is an integral and continuous part of teaching and learning and is based upon teachers’ judgements of pupil attainment and progress. We assess the children’s work in history by making informal judgements as we observe the children during lessons. Children receive effective feedback through teacher assessment, both orally and through written feedback.

Regular and ongoing assessment informs teaching to support and enable the success of each child. In KS1 and KS2, Summative assessment takes place at the end of each unit. Formative assessment takes place on an ongoing daily basis and teachers adjust planning accordingly to meet the needs of their class. In addition, we place a strong emphasis on the importance of questioning: this enables us both to explore topics together as a class as well as verbally develop skills during our lessons.

The Foundation Stage deliver history content through the ‘Understanding of the World: Past and Present’ strand of the EYFS curriculum. In EYFS, we assess the children’s Understanding of the World according to the Development Matters statements.

The effectiveness of teaching and learning is monitored through lesson observations, book scrutinies and conversations with pupils.

However, to truly understand the impact of our History curriculum, you would have to come and visit!