history
Teaching History throughout the Northam Federation provides an opportunity for pupils to build on their chronological narrative. History enables pupils to explore the similarities, difference and significance of the past. Students will also learn about the history of the wider world helping them to understand the process of continuity and change, over time. All pupils will be taught to consider the cause and consequence of key historical events and finally use evidence and sources to help develop their enquiry skills.
History Aims
Chronological narrative - know and understand the past as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day: how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world.
Similarity, difference and significance - Make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame historically-valid questions and create structured accounts, including written narratives and analyses.
History of the Wider World - Know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution of empires; characteristic features of past non-European societies; achievements and follies of mankind.
Continuity and change - Understanding the processes of continuity and change enables students to appreciate the past, not as a homogenous whole, nor indeed as a series of events, but as a complex flow of currents and counter-currents. It helps students to appreciate the complexity of the past; embracing both evolution and tradition.
Cause and consequence - Historical events are caused by things that occurred before them. Also, historical events create changes that have consequences long after the event is over. Historical changes happen because of two main factors: The actions of people and the conditions (social, economic etc.). Different causes have different levels of influence. Some causes are more important than other causes. Change happens because of multiple causes and leads to many different results or consequences.
Enquiry - How evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed.
Subject Overview
National Curriculum Aims
Key Stage 1 - Pupils should develop an awareness of the past, using common words and phrases relating to the passing of time. They should know where the people and events they study fit within a chronological framework and identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods. They should use a wide vocabulary of everyday historical terms. They should ask and answer questions, choosing and using parts of stories and other sources to show that they know and understand key features of events. They should understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented.
Key Stage 2 - Pupils should continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study. They should note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms. They should regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance. They should construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information. They should understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.