Why?

• It provides the opportunity for children to explore and make links to their own identity within the context of relevant historical topics, building children’s historical knowledge and understanding of historical concepts. 
• Throughout their journey through the school, children practise key historical skills by questioning historical sources, formulating questions and comparing perspectives. 
• Oracy is a key element to History lessons, interwoven to provide opportunities for the children to express their opinion, challenge sources and formulate their personal view of History.   
• This enables the children to become advocates for themselves and for others, fostering open-mindedness and developing their self-confidence.

Our teaching approach

• Interdisciplinary projects resulting in Night At the Museum
• Discrete lessons

Why?

• Our teaching approach is one that builds the children up towards a final outcome where each child represents their historical learning through the creation of a product. As a year group, children curate an exhibit to display  their products at Night At the Museum. This provides a real purpose for the history learning and generates motivation and engagement across the school. 
• Children are provided with a strong foundation of the notion of the ‘past’ and are introduced to ‘primary sources’ through artefacts and historical records.
• In KS2, topics are relevant to and reflect the context of the school. Therefore, in Year 3, children explore and compare The Ancient Kingdom of Benin with Europe at the same period of time through the investigation of artwork. In Year 4, children look at the impact of the Roman Empire on the UK and its lasting legacy. Year 5 explore the impact of the British Empire, examining primary sources looking at the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the abolishment of slavery. Year 6 explores bias within the context of WWII, extending this to current societal changes, focusing on the Windrush Generation and key Black historical figures.