At Greenmount we ensure our learning is vocabulary rich and that lessons build on and makes links to prior knowledge, ensuring children ‘know more and remember more’.
Within their early years children are introduced to the concept of chronology; developing their understanding of the past by building up a timeline of their year and exploring the idea of ‘now and then’ focusing on how they have changed over time. Children will use the disciplinary concepts of similarity and difference, and continuity and change to begin to understand how we learn about the past and how it is different to the present.
KS1 children build on this chronological understanding by learning about events within, and beyond living memory. They further develop their understanding of disciplinary concepts through a range of topics, including the similarities and differences between their toys and the toys their grandparents played with, the cause and consequence of the Great Fire of London, significant events and people including the Moon landings and Florence Nightingale and her legacy.
Our KS2 curriculum is organised chronologically; allowing children to gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. Children will continue to develop their understanding of chronology, including CE and BCE as well as exposure to AD and BC and their origins. Pupils study European and non-European ancient civilizations, focusing on the History of Islam and creating links with children’s heritage.
Children will understand that being a historian means thinking about the past in a meaningful way.
Children will be able to ask perceptive questions, think critically, analyse evidence and form viewpoints using different sources.
Our curriculum will have clear and concise end-points to enable children to ‘know more and remember more’
The enquiry-based curriculum is built on clear end points which specify what pupils will be expected to know and do by the end of a topic, year and key stage.
All topics begin with an enquiry question and children will build knowledge systematically and cumulatively over a series of lessons.
A final ‘Summit Point’ lesson brings all their learning together enabling children to genuinely answer this enquiry question.
Regular spaced retrieval practice will support children to recall and embed their learning.
Knowledge mats focusing on key vocabulary and facts support children to share their learning at home.
Children will revisit key substantive concepts to make links within their learning and build on prior knowledge.
A secure knowledge and understanding of people, events and contexts from the historical periods covered and how they have shaped the world we live in today.
The ability to think critically about history and communicate confidently in styles appropriate to a range of audiences.
The ability to consistently support, evaluate and challenge their own and others’ views using detailed, appropriate and accurate historical evidence derived from a range of sources.
