History Policy

RATIONALE

To develop an awareness and understanding of the present and the past.

PURPOSES

To help understand the present in the context of the past.
To develop skills of enquiry and investigation.
To build upon existing knowledge.
To develop key concepts of time, similarity/differences continuing change, cause and effect, chronology.
To help children develop an awareness of and arouse interest in the past.
To develop an awareness that there are different accounts of the past.
To begin to develop an understanding that some things are facts and some are points of view.
To encourage and promote positive attitudes.

GUIDELINES

The Scheme of Work for History will partly be based upon the QCA Scheme of Work.
To develop an awareness of the past through stories from different periods and cultures.
History may at times be taught through a cross-curricular approach especially through Literacy. Literacy skills will be reinforced through History.
To progress from familiar situations to those more distant in time and place.
Use a variety of relevant historical sources e.g. artefacts, pictures, people, music, documents.
To provide opportunities to communicate awareness and understanding of history - orally, visually and in writing.
History will be taught using the core History skills appropriate to each level. Key skills may be taught during regular whole school focus days on History.

History should be seen as a relevant part of the National Curriculum, promoted by active learning.