Our approach to our curriculum at Mendell is based upon: Consistency Insistency Ambition
History is the study of the past
Mendell’s vision for History is to inspire children to want to know more about the past and to think and act as historians. Through our History curriculum, children will have opportunities to investigate and interpret the past, understand chronology, build an overview of Britain’s past as well as that of the wider world, and to be able to communicate historically. We want children to know how the past has shaped our lives today and how it will shape our future. Our History curriculum has been designed specifically for our school and locality and also aims to ensure that through it we deliver knowledge to make our pupils educated citizens who learn from the events, people, ideas they study. History at Mendell is taught half-termly (Autumn 1, Spring 1 and Summer 1) with a lesson taught each week. This sequence allows us to revisit knowledge the following week and subsequently in the following term.
Early Years and History
Our curriculum starts from EYFS and is progressive throughout Early Years, KS1, lower KS2, upper KS2 and beyond, which provides a secure foundation for learners across the school. Our Nursery class focus on the Prime Areas and start learning the skills of thinking, talking and exploring like a historian by analysing a range of sources of evidence that can help tell them about the past. Further information for how this is built upon and is progressive can be seen on our progression map. EYFS classes are also included on the History long term plan.
Continuous Provision activities are set up to provide an enriched learning environment for children to independently apply the skills and knowledge they learn to better understand the world and develop the ‘Characteristics Of an Effective Learner’. Practitioners within the environment provide regular speaking and listening and role play opportunities for example role play for children to compare using toys and games from the past and now.
Vocabulary and language development is key within our setting and our well-trained practitioners ask the children questions, role play with the children and model the vocabulary they want the children to understand and use throughout the day. Regular discussions about previous learning take place to help the children know more and remember more in all areas of ‘Development Matters 2020’.
The History curriculum has been planned to:
Allow application of learning across the subject For example: the key concept of cause and consequence is threaded within our curriculum to build on children’s knowledge. It is done by developing their knowledge from a local scale e.g. Year1 learn about the reasons for changes within our locality (school and street since 1950s), to a national level where Year 3 study the reasons for the Roman invasion of Britain and the changes that occurred due to it and moving to Year 6 where they carry out an in-depth study at an international level looking at the causes and consequences of migration to Britain over the ages.
To see how these are built up and are progressive year on year, please see our History long term plan and History progression map:
Allow overlearning of key concepts in other subjects. For example: sequencing of months is taught in FS, the sequencing of dates is taught from KS1 and the use of scaling in taught in KS2 when children construct timelines. Additionally, map work is integrated within History lessons to encourage children to draw on their geographical knowledge and to make links between Geography and History.
To see this clearly, please see our whole school long term plan:
Opportunities to revisit learning. For example: Year 4 learn about the impact of the Anglo-Saxons on Britain. At the end of the unit, they revisit their learning from Year 3 to compare aspects of Anglo-Saxon daily life to that of Roman Britain.
Please see History Memory Flash Points:
Reflect National Association guidance. Mendell Primary has written the History curriculum using resources from the Historical Association (HA), Mr T Does Primary History and Primary History Rocks. They work closely with government, awarding bodies, Ofsted and other regulators, advising on the curriculum and lobbying on behalf of the subject.
For further information, please see examples of our History Medium terms plans:
For further information, please contact our History lead Mrs Sanati via the school office.
The lead governor for History is Rev. J Gillies
Our approach to our curriculum at Mendell is based upon: Consistency Insistency Ambition
History is the study of the past
Mendell’s vision for History is to inspire children to want to know more about the past and to think and act as historians. Through our History curriculum, children will have opportunities to investigate and interpret the past, understand chronology, build an overview of Britain’s past as well as that of the wider world, and to be able to communicate historically. We want children to know how the past has shaped our lives today and how it will shape our future. Our History curriculum has been designed specifically for our school and locality and also aims to ensure that through it we deliver knowledge to make our pupils educated citizens who learn from the events, people, ideas they study. History at Mendell is taught half-termly (Autumn 1, Spring 1 and Summer 1) with a lesson taught each week. This sequence allows us to revisit knowledge the following week and subsequently in the following term.
The History curriculum has been planned to:
Allow application of learning across the subject For example: the key concept of cause and consequence is threaded within our curriculum to build on children’s knowledge. It is done by developing their knowledge from a local scale e.g. Year1 learn about the reasons for changes within our locality (school and street since 1950s), to a national level where Year 3 study the reasons for the Roman invasion of Britain and the changes that occurred due to it and moving to Year 6 where they carry out an in-depth study at an international level looking at the causes and consequences of migration to Britain over the ages.
To see how these are built up and are progressive year on year, please see our History long term plan and History progression map:
Allow overlearning of key concepts in other subjects. For example: sequencing of months is taught in FS, the sequencing of dates is taught from KS1 and the use of scaling in taught in KS2 when children construct timelines. Additionally, map work is integrated within History lessons to encourage children to draw on their geographical knowledge and to make links between Geography and History.
To see this clearly, please see our whole school long term plan:
Opportunities to revisit learning. For example: Year 4 learn about the impact of the Anglo-Saxons on Britain. At the end of the unit, they revisit their learning from Year 3 to compare aspects of Anglo-Saxon daily life to that of Roman Britain.
Please see History Memory Flash Points:
Reflect National Association guidance. Mendell Primary has written the History curriculum using resources from the Historical Association (HA), Mr T Does Primary History and Primary History Rocks. They work closely with government, awarding bodies, Ofsted and other regulators, advising on the curriculum and lobbying on behalf of the subject.
For further information, please see examples of our History Medium terms plans:
For further information, please contact our History lead Mrs Sanati via the school office.
The lead governor for History is Rev. J Gillies
