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Mansfield
Primary Academy

History

Hi, I am Miss Foulstone- Year 2 Class Teacher and History coordinator. 

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Opening the Mansfield GATE through History

  • Generate

Children acquire knowledge and generate their understanding of the past by using a range of historical skills, giving them an opportunity to explore significant events from the past. 

  • Aspire

Children aspire by thinking critically and using evidence to piece together events from the past and how this has shaped the future.

  • Together

Together children reflect on events from the past and use this to understand how important democracy and diversity is in having a positive impact on the world today.

  • Enquire

Children enquire about the past by having a shared curiosity about their local world and understand the process of change by using evidence and asking questions about the past.

Implementation

To help children to achieve GATE, our history curriculum focuses on the following key areas:

1 - Chronology 

2 - Cause and Significant Events

3 - Consequence and Legacy 

4 - Significant People

5 - Childhood

6 - Life and Death

Teachers have identified the key knowledge and skills of each topic and consideration has been given to ensure progression across topics throughout each year group across the school. By the end of year 6, children will have a chronological understanding of British history from the Stone Age to the present day. They are able to draw comparisons and make connections between different time periods and their own lives. Interlinked with this are studies of world history, such as the ancient civilisations of Greece and the Ancient Maya. Cross-curricular outcomes in history are specifically planned for, with strong links between the history curriculum and morning literacy lessons enabling further contextual learning. The local area is also fully utilised to achieve the desired outcomes, with extensive opportunities for learning outside the classroom embedded in practice. Planning is informed by and aligned with the national curriculum. Consideration is given to how greater depth will be taught, learnt and demonstrated within each lesson, as well as how learners will be supported in line with the school’s commitment to inclusion. Outcomes of work are regularly monitored to ensure that they reflect a sound understanding of the key identified knowledge.

Impact

Outcomes in topic and literacy books evidence a broad and balanced history curriculum and demonstrate the children’s acquisition of identified key knowledge. Children review the agreed successes at the end of every session and are actively encouraged to identify their own target areas, with support from their teachers. Emphasis is placed on analytical thinking and questioning which helps pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world and they are curious to know more about the past.

Assessment

Assessment for learning is continuous throughout the planning, teaching and learning cycle. Key historical knowledge is taught to enable and promote the development of children’s historical enquiry skills.

Assessment is supported by use of the following strategies:

  • Observing children at work, individually, in pairs, in a group and in class during whole class teaching.
  • Using open-ended questions that require children to explain and unpick their understanding.
  • Providing effective feedback, including verbal feedback and interactive marking through green pen questions where appropriate, to engage children with their learning and to provide opportunities for self-assessment, consolidation, depth and target setting.
  • Book moderation and monitoring of outcomes of work, to evaluate the range and balance of work and to ensure that tasks meet the needs of different learners, with the acquisition of the pre-identified key knowledge of each topic being evidenced through the outcomes.