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Vision
At St Bart’s, we want to inspire our students through our history curriculum and show our pupils that history has had a direct impact on the way they live their lives today. We want our pupils to understand that history is not just the study of the past, but the study of the present. Further to this, our vision for history is that all of our pupils and their diverse heritage are represented and celebrated through our curriculum. We intend to promote the cultural capital of history to inspire our students and give them aspirations beyond our school. We do this through a range of visits, visitors, fieldwork and first-hand experiences.
Intent
In school, our wider aim across all subjects, is that learning is meaningful, memorable and relevant to the life experiences of our students. We have therefore carefully tailored our history subjects to fit the wide diversity of our pupils and provide them with learning opportunities we feel is meaningful to them. Throughout our topics, we have carefully identified and selected the most valuable body of substantive concepts (or golden threads) for pupils to understand, learn, and most importantly, re-visit as our curriculum progresses through our year groups. These golden threads, that weave their way through our curriculum are:
- Civilisation
- Conflict/Invasion
- Empire and power
- Monarchy
- Trade
- Governance
- Immigration and Settlement
We want our pupils to be active and conscious learners and have therefore handpicked disciplinary concepts to teach that allow children to better questioning information, compare the past and present and critically think about sources they read, and are presented with, as they progress in their learning journey at St Bart’s. Our disciplinary concepts are the historical lens at which we look through a topic. They are repeated throughout year groups and topics so pupils become aware of the skills needed to be a good historian. Our disciplinary concepts are:
- Significance/Impact- UKS2
- Cause/Consequence- LKS2
- Continuity/Change
- Similarity/Difference
- Sources and Evidence (Interpretation)
We encourage children to use historically accurate vocabulary throughout their topics. Some vocabulary is subject specific, however other vocabulary (linked to our golden threads) are rehearsed, repeated or meanings challenged and changed as pupils learn more about the world and its past. Throughout school, we use cross-curricular links to exploit opportunities for breath of knowledge and communication of historical learning.
Implementation
Our curriculum is informed by the national curriculum. We use a breadth and depth approach to our history curriculum. We believe children need opportunities to develop a long arc of chronology, yet also be able to complete depth approaches into specific periods of history.
Our curriculum offers a range of exciting topics, tailored to the diverse nature of our school community. In KS1, children think about 'time' and what it means to them. They think about changes within living memory and compare to experiences of their parents/grandparents. Futhermore, pupils in KS1 learn about some memorable events, people and places in national history and their own locality.
In KS2, children study a range of time periods as detailed in the NC. We have hand-chosen topics that lend themselves to the history of our children and their heritage, the history of our local area and those that build upon our children’s existing substantive knowledge.
We believe this exposes pupils to the common themes and vocabulary of certain topics and allow them to make direct comparisons between different periods and societies. All our topics have an overarching key ‘enquiry’ question to answer at the end of the topic. Each lesson is designed to contribute the children’s understanding and knowledge surrounding this question, and poses auxiliary questions that are key formative assessment goals for our teaching staff.
How do we implement History at St Bart’s?
- Enquiry-led learning
- Enrichment opportunities such as trips, visitors, artefacts and workshops (from Leeds City Museum).
- CPD opportunities for staff with the Leeds Museum membership.
- Cross-curricular links to other subjects to broaden our understanding.
- Communication of our learning in a cross-curricular manner to bring our learning together
Impact
We use a range of strategies to assess what skills and knowledge the children have attained each term including the following:
- Book looks
- Pupil Voice
- Regular feedback from subject leaders
- Regular formative feedback for children in lessons
- Post assessments at the end of each topic completed by children
- Sticky knowledge statements linked to knowledge, golden threads and disciplinary concepts
Curriculum - History - Key Documents
Curriculum - History - Disciplinary Concepts
Curriculum - History - Substantive Concepts
Curriculum - History - Useful Links
BBC Bitesize - Primary History
BBC Bitesize - Significant British People
Curriculum - History - National Coal Mining Museum Trip
On Wednesday, class 10 visited The National Coal Mining Museum near Wakefield, which included a tour of the bath house and pit site, an interactive workshop about the different types of local rocks, and a trip underground to see and learn about the pit itself and the history of coal mining.
A fun and informative day for all!
Curriculum - History - A Visit from Judith
The children of year 5 and 6 were treated to a visit from Judith. She is the daughter of a lady who was rescued from Germany on the Kinder-transport in 1938. She told us her mums story of escape and how she left her parents and sister behind. She later found out that her family didn’t survive being sent to a concentration camp. She also brought along some of the items her mum brought across with her. The children listened very well and asked some good questions.
Curriculum - History - Remembrance Day Work
Class 14 have celebrated Remembrance Day by producing some amazing art work. Take a look at their work.
Curriculum - History - Skipton Castle Trip (Class 6)
Class 6 had an amazing time at Skipton Castle or (sheep town castle) as it was formally known.
We learnt all about the history of the castle, from the Clifford Family who were the Lord and Lady who lived in it, to Mr Mason, Mr Cook, Mr Carpenter who helped build and work in the castle.
We learnt where the drawbridge, moat and portcullis used to be along with the murder hole. We saw the long drop, kitchens and bedrooms, learnt how to dip arrows before firing them through the arrow slits and learnt how dark the dungeon really is.
After lunch we drew the castle in the sunshine and tested our knowledge completing the Skipton Castle booklet. A day enjoyed by all.
Curriculum - History - Armley Town Street
Class 4 have been learning about what Town Street was like in the past and comparing it to how it is today. We enjoyed going on a walk to Town Street to look at the shops there. We also looked at the types of houses in our local area and thought about how old they might be.
Curriculum - History - Black History Month
In class 8 we have been learning about some of the achievements of black people who have been forgotten by history. Today we learned all about the achievements of Bessie Coleman who was the first female African American pilot. We then created a mixed media piece of artwork about Black History Month.
Curriculum - History - Arthur France
Class 3 and 4 have been learning all about Arthur France, the founder of the Leeds West Indian Carnival, as part of Black History Month. We learnt about the costumes, music and parades that you can see and hear at the carnival. We then made our own masks and held our own carnival parade and dance party.
Curriculum - History - Kings & Queens Day
Year 2 have thoroughly enjoyed Kings and Queens day. We have designed and made crowns to suit our royal status. Become knights creating shields, swords and masks so that we can defend our castles. We designed a medieval banquet including meals of swan, turtle soup, veal, gosling and sturgeon. The children were appalled by the food choices and how they used stale bread as a plate and ate with their hands. To finish the day the children made split pin knights and princesses while they discussed what they enjoyed most about the day.
Curriculum - History - Motte & Bailey Castles
Class 6 drew Motte and Bailey castles from a description. They thought about the advantages of this sort of castle, (Being cheap and quick to build.) and the disadvantages and reasons why Stone Keep Castles we’re used instead. (Were easily destroyed through fire and rotting.)
Curriculum - History - Lotherton Hall Trip
Years 5 and 6 went back in time on their school trip this week! They were met from their transport by a billeting officer and assigned to board at Lotherton House. The children were in role as WWII evacuees all morning and were fascinated by the tour of the house. Then they took part in morse code and first aid training for the war effort. The children loved being in role and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. After lunch the children got to explore the animals at Lotherton, the penguins, bats and laughing birds being their favourite. A fantastic day had by all!
Curriculum - History - Anglo Saxon Workshop
Year 3 and year 4 had an amazing time taking part in an Anglo Saxon workshop. They learned lots of brilliant facts and got to handle real Anglo Saxon artefacts.
Curriculum - History - Armley Town Street
In History this term, year 1 are learning about Town Street and what it was like in the past. We thought about what the shops in Town Street are like today and compared them to what they were like in the past.
Curriculum - History - Windrush Legacy Workshops
We thoroughly enjoyed attending the Windrush Legacy Workshops developed by the Jamaica Society Leeds. Ansell delivered a very interesting workshop involving stories regarding the Windrush Generation. We also created our own dances with help from Ansell.
Curriculum - History - Ancient Egypt
In class 9 we have started a new topic about ancient Egypt. This week we were using our oracy skills and answering the question - Who was 5he greatest pharaoh in ancient Egypt?
Curriculum - History - Grace O'Malley Fact File
In class 6, we found out more information about Grace O'Malley! We watched a video and created a fact-file all about her, before ordering some key events in her life. We created freeze-frames to go alongside each event.
Curriculum - History - Leeds City Museum Trip
Years 3 and 4 explored the different eras of Leeds from modern day, right back to the Stone Age such as 1000 year old stone crosses found in a garden. We also took part in an Ancient Egypt workshop, looking at how mums were made and even having a go at making our own. Finally, we went to the ancient room, seeing many Ancient Egyptian artists, including death masks, wooden feet and ears and comic jars. The start is the show though was a real life (but dead) mummy called Nesyamun, who was a high priest over 3000 years ago.
Curriculum - History - Grace O'Malley
In history, we have begun our new topic - we are going to be learning all about Grace O'Malley. Today we have looked at pictures of lots of different pirates and discussed what we think makes them a pirate.
Curriculum - History - Vikings
This week, year 5 and year 6 have worked in groups to produce a presentation to inform others about Viking Life. They worked in circular groups focusing on the oracy strand: social and emotional, specifically working with others. They also used the cognitive strand of summary in their presentations.
Curriculum - History - Sir William Petty Visit
Year 2 had a visit from Sir William Petty all the way from 1666. He came and told us all about the Great Fire of London. We really enjoyed pretending we were a London street that set on fire and creating a bucket chain to try and put out the fire. The children loved taking part in experiments pretending to be houses, discovering how the fire spread so quickly. They also learnt how the fire was put out with the help of gun powder, the king’s men and lots of effort by the people of London. The children had a fantastic day and learnt lots in the process.
Curriculum - History - Artefacts from the Stone Age
In history this week we were looking at artefacts from the Stone Age. We predicted what some objects excavated from Star Carr might have been used for. We were also very lucky as we got to handle and have a close up look at Stone Age artefacts from Leeds Museum.
Curriculum - History - Roman Britains & Anglo Saxons
Class 13 gathering information on Roman Britains and Anglo Saxons in history this week.
Curriculum - History - The Stone Age
Year 3 and year 4 have had a great first lesson about the Stone Age. First of all, we went to the timeline on the stairs to find out how long ago the Stone Age was, which other periods of history overlap with it (Egyptians and Greeks), and where it fits into the topics we've already covered. Then, we speculated about how we know anything at all about the Stone Age when it is prehistoric, which we discovered meant before things were written down. We then discussed what archaeologists do. After that, we became archaeologists ourselves when we dissected Stone Age 'poo'. We discovered what people ate in the Stone Age, including berries, seeds and raw vegetables. We also discovered that everything they ate was raw and that they didn't cook anything - including meat!
Curriculum - History - The Great Fire of London
We have really enjoyed beginning our new topic in class 6. In history, we have learnt about the events of the Great Fire of London and created a timeline to show what happened over the week.
