History

“History, the study of the past, is all around us; we are continually making history through our thoughts, words and actions. History is personal and global; it is everyday life and momentous occasions. History is about people.

 Melanie Jones, Historical Association

History has always been held in high regard at Elburton Primary School, with the school’s own rich history within the context of the local area being a celebrated and inspiring feature of the school.

We, and the areas in which we live, are all defined by the events of the past. Studying history helps us to understand how those events made things the way that they are today. It enables us to better understand, not only our lives, but the lives of others as well. The decisions of governments who were in power decades or centuries before we were born have helped to shape the lives we live today. The education we receive, the housing choices available to us, the street names that surround us; we are who we are because of our past.

It is our hope that, through our history lessons, children at Elburton learn to examine evidence, think critically, critique complex events from history, and develop the ability to recognise and avoid the mistakes of the past.

Our history curriculum at Elburton is ambitious and begins from Nursery. Using the content from the National Curriculum and the Early Years Framework, we have carefully sequenced our history curriculum so children are able to engage meaningfully and develop a rich historical knowledge of people, events and ideas from the past.  

Utilising the United Curriculum for History provides all children, regardless of their background, with:

• Coherent and chronological substantive knowledge of the history of Britain and the wider world, selected to build pupils’ understanding of three vertical concepts. These vertical concepts provide both a concrete lens through which to study and contextualise history, as well as use small steps to help pupils gain a deep understanding of complex, abstract ideas:

• Quest for knowledge

How do people understand the world around them? What is believed; what is known; what scientific and technological developments are made at the time? How is knowledge stored and shared? What shapes people’s views about the world?

• Power, empire and democracy

Who holds power, and what does this mean for different people in the civilisations? How is power wielded and legitimised? How are people’s rights different in different historical contexts?

• Community and family

What is life like for different people – men, women and children – in different societies? How are these societies structured? How are family and community roles and relationships different in different historical contexts?

• Opportunities for all pupils to see themselves reflected in the curriculum, but also to be taken beyond their own experiences. The history curriculum teaches pupils about civilisations from across the world, and always incorporates the experiences – positive and negative – of ethnic minorities in the history of Britain.

• Grounding in core disciplinary and procedural knowledge, and the ability to approach challenging, historically-valid questions, giving pupils the ability for pupils to learn how to think, read and write like a historian.

• An excitement for history, which inspires a curiosity to learn more about the past.

History is taught in 6-lesson units, once a term (History alternates with Geography).

The United Curriculum is sequenced so that meaningful links are made between subjects, and the order of units allows these connections to be made. For example, pupils are taught about the Vikings in Britain in History in Summer 2, so that they can review and build upon knowledge of migration – and consider the push and pull factors behind Viking migration – after they have been taught about migration in Geography in Spring 1.

The United Curriculum for History has been adapted for Elburton by bringing in the history of our local area and considering the context of our pupils and the community.

The implementation of the United Curriculum for History reflects our broader teaching and learning principles. 

For History in particular:

• Content is always carefully situated within existing schemas. Every unit always begins with the chronological and geographical contexts, so that pupils can situate new knowledge in their broader understanding of people and places in the past.
• Vertical concepts are used within lessons to connect learning about one civilisation to another. For example, when learning about Ancient Maya step-pyramids, pupils will review the stone structures of Stonehenge, Egyptian pyramids and Greek temples.
• Opportunities for extended writing appear throughout the curriculum. These have a clear purpose and audience and, crucially, allow pupils to write as a historian. For example, after considering the subjective nature of historical significance, pupils write to the head teacher to explain why they think it is important for all subsequent Year 4 classes to learn about the Early Islamic Civilisation.

As with every subject, we recognise what makes history unique, and as a result make pedagogical choices to ensure teaching is the best it can possibly be. We have captured our pedagogical choice for history in our history principles which can be seen below.

The careful sequencing of the curriculum – and how concepts are gradually built over time – is the progression model. If pupils are keeping up with the curriculum, they are making progress. Formative assessment is prioritised and is focused on whether pupils are keeping up with the curriculum.

In general, this is done through:

• Questioning in lessons. Teachers check understanding so they can fill gaps and address misconceptions as required.
• Pupil conferencing with books. Subject leads and SLT talk to pupils about what they have learnt – both substantive and disciplinary knowledge – and how this connects to the vertical concepts that they have been developing in previous years and other subjects. For example, pupils in year 4 may be asked to talk about how Ancient Maya city-states were similar and different to Ancient Greek city-states, and how their belief systems compared with those of other civilisations.
• Pre-learning quizzes at the start of each unit. These assess pupils’ understanding of the prior knowledge that is required to access the new content in the unit. These are used to identify gaps to be filled prior to teaching the new unit. For example, in a unit about the Roman Empire, pupils need to recall knowledge about the Ancient Greek gods and apply this to new knowledge about religion in Rome. This knowledge is assessed in the Pre-Learning Quiz, and teachers can plan to fill any identified gaps.
• Post-learning quizzes at the end of each unit. These give teachers an understanding of the knowledge that pupils can recall at the end of the unit, and can be used to identify any remaining gaps to be filled. These are generally simple recall questions, such as key features of belief systems in prehistoric Britain, or some of the reasons why people, places and events may be seen as significant.

• Talk with your child about things being in the past, present and future
• Help your child to recognise changes between the present and the past (around your local area, at the beach, at school etc)
• Encourage your child to put things into chronological order – “first you had breakfast, then you went to school, next you did your learning, after that you came home, and finally it’s now time for bed.”
• Visit The Box museum, art gallery and archive and learn how Plymouth and the surrounding area has changed over time. Keep up to date with current installations and exhibitions: https://www.theboxplymouth.com
• Walk around areas with a range of building from different eras – Saltram House, Buckland Abbey, the Elizabethan House, the Barbican, Mount Edgcumbe House – and observe some of the ways our homes have changed over time.
• Walk along the Plym Valley Trail and investigate the disused sites of Cann and Bickleigh Vale quarries - both quarries were used to mine slate, with Cann Quarry being worked as far back as 1683.

• Explore some of the Ancient Egypt artefacts at The Box museum, art gallery and archive: https://www.theboxplymouth.com
• Find out more about Plymouth’s Naval history at Devonport Naval Heritage Centre
• Visit the Dartmoor Prison Museum to learn about life inside one of the world’s most famous and notorious jails https://www.dartmoor-prison.co.uk
• Visit the Mayflower Steps on the Barbican from which the Pilgrims are believed to have finally left England aboard the Mayflower, before crossing the Atlantic Ocean to settle in North America on 6 September 1620. The Mayflower Museum can also be found close by https://www.mayflowermuseum.co.uk
• See the legendary Drake’s Drum at Buckland Abbey and learn about how seafarers Grenville and Drake not only changed the shape of the house but also the fate of the country https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/buckland-abbey
• Visit the Bridging the Tamar Visitor and Learning Centre which celebrates the heritage of both the 20th century Tamar Bridge and Brunel’s iconic 19th century Royal Albert Bridge https://www.bridgingthetamar.org.uk