Lilliput Church of England Infant School

Subject leader

Linked governor

Hannah Phipps

Kate Davis and James Oliver

Intent

The study of history involves engaging pupils in investigating questions about people and events in the past in order to enable them to better understand their lives today and for a future as an informed and enlightened citizen of the world. Through the study of history at Lilliput, pupils also develop a wide range of critical thinking skills, which enable them to understand the contested nature of knowledge about historical events and to reach conclusions and make judgements about the past.

What do we expect pupil to know by certain points?

History education at Lilliput is logical, broad and balanced in terms of the areas of subject content we have selected, and continue to select as the curriculum develops further, which reflect the guidance of the National Curriculum and the CLP Big Ideas. For example, we have ensured that content includes representative investigations of British history spanning significant individuals and events, as well as pupils’ own histories in the Early Years.

Please see CLP History curriculum document outlining what we expect pupils to know by certain points in the year in line with the Early Learning Goals and National Curriculum.

A priority for the academic year 2020/21 is to ensure that teachers are accurate in their assessment and that our moderation process in History identifies key knowledge and skills acquisition as well as informing teaching and learning in the next lesson, term and year group.

What is the clear sequence in which the children will encounter the curriculum?

Is it logical?

Does each year build on the last/prepare for the next (including Year 3?)

Our curriculum is progressively more challenging from the EYFS through to the end of KS1 both in complexity of the subject knowledge we want our pupils to acquire and also the critical thinking skills we support them to utilise to ensure they understand the significance of that knowledge. These anticipated outcomes in knowledge, understanding and skills acquisition are detailed in the objectives for each topic and the planning for each enquiry. We follow the following plan for our year groups:

EYFS – past and chronology in their own lives.

Year 1 – comparisons of their own lives and those of the past.

Year 2 – evaluation of historical sources and synthesising opinions using historical knowledge.

Within each year group, the enquiries selected are investigated at particular points in the year to build upon the knowledge and skills acquired previously. For example, our Year 2 pupils learn about the lives of medieval people in the context of ‘Castles’ in the Autumn Term and compare these to their own lives. In the Spring Term, they build upon these skills of comparison and enquiry in the context of ‘The Great Fire of London’ where pupils evaluate a primary source (Samuel Pepys diary) and begin to sysnthesise their own opinions about events in the past.

Link to Unit covers to be added here

Why have we chosen to teach this and not alternatives?

Through continual evaluation of the curriculum at our school, we have made changes to some of the teaching and learning to reflect our aspirations for the knowledge and skills acquisition we want our pupils to attain. We have ensured our curriculum is relevant in terms of the careful consideration that has been given to the selection of historical enquiries that extend the knowledge and understanding of pupils, whilst retaining relevance in their own lives. For example, selecting topics and learning opportunities that relate to our local area such as Corfe Castle. In addition to this, we believe that history learning at Lilliput should also reflect the current issues in our society. For example, Year 1 children learning about Florence Nightingale and the changes in sanitation and the nursing profession not only represents important women in history but it has also proven to be particularly relevant in the wake of the Covid-19 global pandemic.

Does the teaching planned match the content?

As subject leader, it is my job to ensure that the teaching and learning in classes matches our curriculum plans as well as reflecting the expectations of CLP and National Curriculum. This is monitored through ‘book looks’ across year groups including feedback, lesson observations and learning walks (to be carried out in Autumn Term 2020), continual monitoring of planning uploaded onto the school network and supporting teachers with effective CPD at staff meetings.

Is there clear progression of skills considering prior learning (revisiting previously taught knowledge including linking with other subjects), which takes into account what will be taught in the next school.

All year groups spend time revisiting skills previously taught and subject leader meets with junior schools to identify the key skills required for children to be successful moving on. As part of the CLP curriculum development, the subject leader (H. Phipps) worked with leaders from across the MAT to ensure consistency as our pupils move onto Key Stage 2.

Have we carefully considered why work has been placed in specific year groups including Reception and at particular points in the year.

Subject leader and CLP working party have spent time looking at progression of skills across EYFS,  KS1 and KS2 to ensure each stage prepares the children effectively for the next stage. 

Implementation

The curriculum is ambitious and meets the needs of all pupils including disadvantaged and SEND.

All children are carefully tracked and monitored with a specific focus on disadvantaged and SEND.  Subject leader to check these children are receiving quality first teaching and additional support.

Does teaching include key elements such as explanation, modelling, scaffold, practise?

BE SPECIFIC

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. 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, themes, places and issues in their entirety we restrict opportunities for pupils to master and apply critical thinking skills and achieve more challenging subject outcomes. We adopt an immersive approach to learning where possible that provides our pupils with sufficient time and space to acquire new knowledge and subject vocabulary and also develop concepts and understand the significance of what they have learned, through ‘blocking’ topics and hook days. Our learning and teaching in history is interactive and practical allowing opportunities for pupils to work independently, in pairs and in groups of various sizes both inside and outside the classroom. Wherever possible, we provide our pupils with a wide range of resources and historical evidence including narratives, paintings, photographs, artefacts, and data to analyse and from which reach conclusions and therefore make judgements. Similarly, we provide varied and differentiated ways for pupils to record the outcomes of their learning through the use of drama, interviews, pupil consultations, bubble ups, annotated diagrams, labels and the application of a range of genres in writing where appropriate. This way, knowledge will become embedded and ‘sticky’, to ensure our pupils can build on what they already know and understand from EYFS, through KS1 at Lilliput, and beyond. The planning of our topics for each enquiry highlight the historical objectives and anticipated outcomes of the investigations. We are beginning to use ancillary questions to sequence lessons, to enable pupils to build their knowledge and understanding in incremental steps of increasing complexity until they have gained knowledge, understanding and skills to answer the question posed at the beginning of the enquiry. Our learning and teaching in history also recognises the importance of the local area with a number of investigations observation, recording, presentation, interpretation and the evaluation of historical information outside the classroom and school building. For example, significant people, places and events local to Lilliput, Poole and Dorset.

Can you articulate why teachers are teaching your subject in a particular way?

All our leaders across the school, including governors, regularly review and quality assure the subject is implemented sufficiently well.

Subject leader to provide a termly reports to SLT regarding curriculum implementation.  Subject leader also to meet termly with link governor to review and quality assure subject.

Impact

How do you know that the children have learnt the things that we expect them to learn?

Each enquiry which forms our programme of learning and teaching in history sets a clear objectives and outcomes for the pupil in terms of knowledge, understanding and acquisition. The schemes of work and planning also suggest a range of ways in which the teacher can assess whether a pupil has achieved these outcomes. We ensure that when assessing pupils evidence is drawn from a wide range of sources to inform the process. This includes interaction with pupils during discussions and related questioning, day to day observations, practical activities such as role play drama, sorting activities and craft model making, the gathering, presentation and communication of information and writing in different genres. The outcomes of each enquiry serve to inform the teacher’s developing picture of the knowledge and understanding of each pupil and to plan future learning accordingly. We do not make summative judgements about individual pieces of pupil work but rather use such outcomes to build an emerging picture of what the pupil knows, understands and can do.

At the end of each term (Autumn, Spring and Summer) we make a summative judgement about the achievement of each pupil against the subject learning goals for history at that stage of the year. At this point, teachers decide upon the ‘best fit’ judgement as to whether the pupil has achieved and embedded the expected learning goals, exceeded expectations or is still working towards the goals in discussion with their year group colleagues and history subject lead. These decisions are based on the professional knowledge and judgement of the teachers about the progress of each pupil, developed over the course of a topic and with moderated pieces of work where appropriate, which allows an informed and holistic judgement of attainment to be made.

What do we do if the children haven’t learnt them?

Our curriculum is inclusive in terms of delivering the same curriculum to all our pupils irrespective of specific learning needs or disabilities and differentiating where necessary through, for example, class support, different learning environments, adapted activities and assessment outcomes. If we feel that a pupil is not achieving ARE in history, teachers will use their professional judgement to ensure that the pupil is supported moving forward. We send knowledge organisers home to parents to support knowledge acquisition to all pupils and encourage discussion at home, we carry out pre-teach and re-teach interventions and lessons are planned with effective differentiation and scaffolding in place to support all pupils. Our assessment forms include a box for teachers to reflect on what they think the pupil needs to achieve ARE. If at the end of the year a pupil has not achieved ARE, the next teacher will be informed through effective transition discussions and therefore the support will be continued as that pupil’s journey continues at Lilliput.

Are there regular opportunities for retrieval practise?

During every lesson and topic, pupils will revisit prior learning through effective use of questioning and plenaries. Pupils will be given the opportunity to revisit learning from previous year groups detailed in the planning of our curriculum and the CLP Big Ideas document.

How can we see that children’s fluency and mastery is incrementally improving?

If we can see/evidence this we can demonstrate IMPACT

A priority for the academic year 2020/21 is the improvement of effective assessment in history. Each topic has evidence of learning including videos/pictures/written evidence on which to base assessments. These should demonstrate how pupils are mastering skills as they move through our carefully considered curriculum. Or planning also includes how to stretch and challenge pupils who are working beyond th expectations for that year group, including a deeper understanding of historical knowledge and skills demonstrated through questioning and written work where appropriate.

CPD

Staff meetings/CPD – reporting back to staff my expectations and findings from recent curriculum developments. Assisting year groups with curriculum planning and offering advice and guidance on making improvements in teaching and learning.

Historical Association – constantly updated on new approaches in history teaching.

Attending conferences with David Weatherly – an expert in history and geography education.