History Intent

At St Joseph’s we know that understanding the past is vital to paving the way for the future and our curriculum is designed to encourage children to ask questions, enquire and explore a range of topics.

Our exciting curriculum helps pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. We aim to inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past – locally, nationally and around the world. By using a wide range of evidence and sources available, we strive to develop the key skills of chronology and enquiry. We believe these core skills are critical in developing children as historians enabling them to gain the ability to explore important questions about historical events. The focus of all our teaching is to build the children’s worldview of history, foster enjoyment of the subject, develop a sense of belonging within their communities past and  their development as historians.

History development is covered through the Understanding the World focus in the EYFS. Curiosity and discovery are at the heart of the Early Years curriculum and pupils have regular opportunities to engage with stories about the present and the past. Through activities linked to their topics and/or own interests, pupils begin to develop their understanding of the world around them and the world of the past, and they learn to communicate their ideas about this. In Year R, pupils have specific weekly ‘Topic’ lessons which cover a range of subjects. This ensures that pupils have a solid foundation of key history concepts before they begin the National Curriculum units from Year 1. 

In KS1, Pupils will develop an awareness of the past, using common words and phrases relating to the passing of time. They will be taught where the people and events they study fit within a chronological framework and identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods. They will be taught to use a wide vocabulary of everyday historical terms. They will ask and answer questions, choosing and using parts of stories and other sources to show that they know and understand key features of events. They will be taught to understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented. The historical knowledge and skills will focus on their personal history, the history of the locality, the world around them and events that go beyond living history. This will ensure a firm foundation for KS2 History.

In KS2, the History curriculum is set out in chronological order to allow children’s knowledge to reference the previous events in time and to refer to this prior learning year-on-year and within the year. They will be taught to note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms. They will be taught to regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance. They will be taught how to construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information.

They will be taught how to construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information. They will be taught to understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources. The progression of knowledge and skills is set out in order to build and develop the following:

 ▪ Chronological understanding

 ▪ Knowledge and understanding of events, people and changes in the past.

▪ Connection and historical Links

▪ Interpretations of History

▪ Historical enquiry