History at Norfolk Community Primary School

Norfolk Community Primary School Curriculum Drivers

Sequencing of Content

The Norfolk Community Primary School Overview ensures that pre-requisite knowledge is considered and linked to new learning.

A range of eras are taught across phases, giving opportunity to refine understanding of chronology.

KS2 study British History chronologically to develop understanding of the changes across the periods.

Local history is heavily considered.

Big ideas

• Chronology
• Continuity and change
• Cause and consequence
• Evidence and source analysis
• Making comparisons and connections
• Frame historically-valid questions
• Make links across periods of history

Inspired – historical figures such as Neil Armstrong, Florence Nightingale and Anne Frank show children what is possible if they passionately believe in a cause and their own ability.

Articulate-  studying historical speeches and sharing understanding through presentations supports children in understanding how powerful messages have been communicated over time.

Ambitious – the depth of knowledge is challenging, for example studying the changes to settlements and land use, belief systems and the impact advances have made to life in Britain.

Curious – units of learning allow children to explore history beyond their culture, for example the study of ancient societies, and how religious beliefs underpin many historical events broaden the children’s understanding of the wider world.

Deepening Concepts

Substantive historical concepts are deepened, such as:

International relations: KS1 Explorers, LKS2 Romans, UKS2 Vikings, UKS2 WW2

Structure of society: KS1 The Great Fire of London, LKS2 Ancient Egypt, LKS2 Romans, UKS2 Anglo-Saxons

Retrieval Practice

Children take part in regular mini-quizzes and retrieval activities to strengthen their memory.

Knowledge organisers and concept maps are used to regularly revisit concepts and make connections.

Remembering information and knowledge is celebrated and is part of the Norfolk Community Primary School culture.

Excited – children have opportunities to throw themselves into History! Opportunities such as visiting Sheffield Museums, Florence Nightingale visiting Y2, as well as local history studies throughout the curriculum enthuse and interest the children.

Knowledgeable – historical knowledge is shared with the children and prioritised in the teaching process. Knowing about how Britain evolved from the Stone Age through to 1066 provides children with enough knowledge to form a deeper understanding of substantive concepts like society and rights.

Emphatic – children study emotive topics such as the holocaust in age-appropriate and sensitive ways, with opportunity to reflect on their own lives and how the world has developed and learnt from the past.

Reflective – children have opportunities to compare conditions from the past with how they live their lives now to understand which developments have happened and the impact they have had.