Intent

At Priory Park Infants History has a clear learning journey across the whole school. Our pupils learn about history within their living memories, of their local environment and the wider world. History is taught through a Topic based approach to encourage development of both enquiry skills and historical knowledge. We develop children to become independent and evaluative thinkers who have empathy for how others lived. This will develop an awareness, respect and curiosity for different cultures and societies and the past. Children are encouraged to ask questions and in-turn make connections between things that have happened in the past and today.

Implementation

History is taught in termly blocks twice yearly so that children develop a deeper understanding and depth to their learning. Teachers understand the key knowledge and skills of each topic and consideration has been given to ensure progression throughout each year group across the school. By the end of year 2, children will have begun to draw comparisons and make connections between different time periods and their own lives. They will also have a good sense of chronological understanding of time passing from when they began school, life that their grandparents experienced as children, lives of the St Neots Quads, the Great Fire of London, Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole. They will learn about the impact these people and events had on what people/society did next.  We are incredibly fortunate to have The St Neots museum very close by which we utilise either to visit with the children or to have them come to us to show and share their artefacts. History is embedded throughout the curriculum by creating strong links between the history curriculum and literacy lessons.

Impact

We know that our children know more and remember more because we monitor their thoughts and ideas on a regular basis. They are able to articulate what they have learnt with interest and enthusiasm through small group discussion or our Big Conversations sessions. They can express what they have enjoyed and what historical skills they have used in their learning.

Lesson observations show that children are motivated and engaged and can access the tasks. Children take ownership of their learning by raising questions about what they want to find out about next.