History

Mrs Hardy and Mrs Leach are our school History Leaders

History Progression Overview

At Coppice Valley, History lessons focus on developing children's historical knowledge.

We intend for our children to have real life experiences and learn about history in an active and creative way. The National curriculum for History is at the core of our curriculum. They will begin to understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance, and use them to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame questions and create their own historical accounts. Children will understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed.

Our History curriculum allows every child to access lessons through quality first teaching and scaffolding of learning to meet pupils’ needs. All pupils expand their vocabularies as they learn, adding historical words to their vocabulary. History offers all pupils the opportunity to expand their spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding as they consider the choices and actions of the past and its effect on the world today. Children have opportunity to consider the moral and ethical codes of great historical leaders and civilisations.

History is topic linked so that meaningful connections can be made to other subjects e.g. English, science, music and art. Wherever possible we integrate outdoor and real-life learning into our work e.g. visiting local landmarks, our town and having visitors into school.

Values Led-Learning

Curriculum at each phase

In EYFS, children are taught to develop their understanding of the world. They will learn through experiences that introduce the concept of time and change e.g. themselves as a baby. Using observation of pupils’ skills and knowledge, staff plan provision and activities to help pupils progress in their learning.

In KS1, children begin to learn as historians: starting with the Stone Age to Iron Age period, followed by the Great Fire of London, comparing two Great Monarchs of Britain, Queen Elizabeth 2nd and Queen Victoria. They will then finish the year in Year 1 learning about the History of Harrogate and the impact of William Slingsby on Harrogate. Year 2 starts with the historical investigation of Emperor Claudius and his Romanisation of Britain, and European History including learning about key significant individuals of Europe.   

KS1 have opportunity to develop these skills, which are revisited and developed over the key stage:

• Use simple vocabulary to describe passing of time (e.g. now, then, long ago, before and after)
• Describe changes in the local area during their own lifetime and that of their parents and grandparents.
• Describe how people, places and events in their own locality have changed over time.
• Ask and respond to simple questions about the past using sources of information.
• Sequence the story of a significant historical figure.
• Begin to describe similarities and differences in historical artefacts and pictures.
• Order events in a period of history studied and begin to recall the dates of important festivals and celebrations.
• Begin to understand cause and effect by looking at significant individual’s actions and what happened as a result.

In KS2 pupils are taught to develop their historical skills, chronology, enquiry and research. Year 3 starts their historical research with the Anglo Saxons, followed by American History. Year 4 starts their historical research with the Vikings followed by African History, Year 5 starts their historical research with the Tudors, followed by the History of Asia and Year 6 takes part in an in-depth focus and enquiry into Victorians.   

In KS2, pupils will learn to:

• Show developing understanding of chronology, by beginning to realise that the past can be divided into different periods of time.
• Choose the most important source material for a task, showing awareness of a range of sources.
• Suggest useful research questions.
• Describe some of the main changes in Britain, resulting from an event.
• Express an opinion on whether a person or event had a positive or negative impact on life in Britain.
• Use labelled diagrams, recounts, stories, diaries and pictures to illustrate understanding about historical events and famous people.
• Use appropriate historical vocabulary to describe key features of a time period.
• Place different periods of time on a timeline and remember key historical facts and some dates from a period studied.
• Use a range of source materials to answer questions about the past which go beyond simple observations.
• Choose the best way to record a range of historical information, giving reasons for their choice.
• Ask and answer more complex questions through independent research
• Explain how significant historical figures contributed to national and international achievements in a variety of eras.
• Explain the impact of a significant historical figure on life in Britain.
• Independently place historical events or change on a timeline, remembering key facts from a period of history studied.
• Use a range of local history resources to describe how an event (e.g. The Black Death) affected a local town or village.
• Explain why people acted as they did
• Make connections between two periods of history, to begin to develop historical perspective.
• Link events from periods studied to changes or developments in contemporary society, both in Britain and the wider world.
• Describe how a significant individual or movement has influenced the UK or wider world.
• Select, organise and record relevant information from a range of sources to produce well-structured narratives, descriptions and explanations.
• Create from memory, a timeline of dates / details/eras showing knowledge of how to check for accuracy.
• Describe the negative or positive impact of a period of history on contemporary society.
• Select, organise, summarise and present relevant information, from a wide range of sources, in the most effective way for a given purpose.
• Make connections, draw contrasts and identify trends in two or more periods of history, to improve historical perspective.
• Describe how their own lives have been influenced by a significant individual or movement.
• Describe how different types of evidence tell us different things about the past and understand why contrasting arguments and interpretations occur.
• Follow independent lines of enquiry and make informed responses based on this.
• Select, organise and record relevant information from a range of sources to produce well-structured narratives, descriptions and explanations.
• Describe how a significant individual or movement has influenced the UK or wider world.
• Show developing understanding of chronology, by beginning to realise that the past can be divided into different periods of time.
• Explain how a significant figure of the period influenced change.