STM History
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Intent:
At St Thomas More’s we want our children to love history and be curious about how their world has been shaped by the past.
Our aim is to stimulate children’s interest and understanding about significant events and the lives of people who lived in the past; to consider why things happened as they did; to ponder the repercussions; to appreciate how different people might have felt; to analyse changes over time and to consider the relationships between people and the diversity of society.
Children are encouraged to think critically and ask perceptive questions, to weigh evidence and to examine arguments. The St Thomas More history curriculum is carefully planned and structured to ensure that current learning builds on previous experiences. We teach children a sense of chronology, so they are aware of where new knowledge links to earlier learning.
Our topics are informed by the National Curriculum and chosen to make full use of the immediate and wider local area, enabling children to develop a deep understanding of the rich history of their locality.
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Implementation:
Each year children spend a whole term focusing on history; we believe this approach allows children to achieve real depth in their knowledge, skills and understanding.
Careful planning enables a progression of skills through the school, enabling children to build and develop their skills each year. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum supports children’s understanding of History through the planning and teaching of ‘Understanding of the World’.
Medium term planning for all topics covers the key historical concepts: Historical Enquiry, Chronological Understanding, Historical Knowledge and Interpretation. Topics begin with the KWL strategy (What I know, What I would like to know and What I have learnt) to check existing knowledge and understanding at the beginning of each topic and this is used to inform learning that is responsive to children’s interests. Topics are introduced with reference to the chronology of previous school topics; timelines help illustrate this concept.
Cross-curricular links are planned with other subjects such as Geography, English, Art, Music. We research and plan educational visits to enrich and enhance children’s learning. Our local area has a wealth of opportunity for historical visits, which we identify and embed within our topic planning. We utilise, adapt or generate resources that best fit our school curriculum.
Our history curriculum is supplemented with additional texts that reflect the diversity of St Thomas More’s. Teachers cater for the varying needs of all learners, scaffolding learning and activities so all are included, and ensuring an appropriate level of challenge. We use Assessment for Learning at different points within each lesson to ensure children are achieving their learning intentions and any misconceptions can be addressed promptly.
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Impact:
St Thomas More’s children are enthusiastic history detectives, eager to find out about the past and make comparisons and connections between different time periods and their own lives. They ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh up evidence, consider different viewpoints and develop awareness and understanding of how the world they live in has evolved over time.
To check the knowledge children have learnt and remembered, each year group has an assessment (quiz) at the end of a history topic. Teachers use this assessment to gain an understanding of any gaps/misconceptions in children’s knowledge and to support with their future planning
Over their time at St Thomas More, children’s discussion skills grow and flourish and they confidently talk about their historical learning with passion and expertise.
Please click here for information about our History curriculum
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