History
Curriculum Intent
At Sulivan we aim to inspire pupils’ curiosity about the past in Britain and the wider world. The history curriculum supports our pupils in building an understanding of significant events and individuals in global, British and local history. Through finding out about how and why the world, our country and local community have developed over time pupils understand how the past influences the present.
This is shown through the framework of three vertical concepts:
- 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?
- 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 people in different societies? How are these societies structured? How are family and community relationships different in different historical contexts?
Curriculum Implementation
The school has adopted the United Learning History Curriculum because it has been carefully sequenced to ensure coverage and appropriate progression through substantive and disciplinary knowledge, using vertical concepts that run throughout the curriculum.
Where options in content occur, these are chosen carefully to reflect the school’s and the children’s local area.
Topics in Y1 to Y6 are taught discretely in half termly blocks in the order suggested by United Learning, to ensure lessons build on prior learning.
Teachers plan at least 4 one-hour lessons in each unit to cover the core non-negotiable knowledge and use any spare time to cover misconceptions or gaps in learning.
Lesson resources and activities provided are adapted to meet the needs of all pupils. Content of lessons is broken down into small steps and the I We You approach is used to allow for modelling, guided practice and independent study
Knowledge organisers, with key concepts and vocabulary are given as homework prior to each topic starting.
Low stakes quizzes are used to help children retrieve and recall prior and new learning.
To further enrich the history curriculum and to engage the children lessons are complemented with trips and visiting speakers.