History
Subject Leader: Mr Clayden
Our history curriculum intent
“Learn from yesterday, live for today’ hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning” – Albert Einstein
At Porthleven School we aim to offer a high-quality history curriculum that enables pupils to gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past, and that of the wider world. The curriculum should ignite children’s enquiry and inquisitive minds. Our curriculum is structured to ensure that current learning is linked to previous knowledge, skills and vocabulary acquisition and offers a deep insight into the past. Children are encouraged to think like historians: provoke and ask perceptive questions, think critically about the cause and consequence of events, identify and explain developmental changes and evaluate historical significance. Our curriculum provides an insight into the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between various groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges they face themselves.
Learning in humanities is taught discretely with geography and history alternating every half term. Where possible we have sequenced the units so that pupils learn about the geographical context for the following history topic, for example developing their understanding of ‘Extreme Weather’ before learning about ‘Shipwrecks and lighthouses’ and ‘Deserts’ before ‘Ancient Egypt’.
In addition to our history curriculum being informed and aligned to the National Curriculum, we have also mapped out the substantive knowledge that we wish children to learn to ensure progression. This knowledge spans key historical substantive concepts: Significant Individuals, Trade, Conflict, Social Change, Locality, Empire, Monarchy and Civilizations. The essential knowledge for each lesson is introduced to pupils as a ‘Knowledge Drop,’ with the theme: ‘many drops make a mighty ocean.’ To help children retain this knowledge, along with content from other subjects, pupils take part in daily retrieval exercises, such as low-stakes quizzes, each morning. At the start of each unit, teachers assess each child’s prior knowledge and ensure that all lessons taught are relevant and developmental. Lessons are planned to ensure all learners are supported in line with the school’s commitment to inclusion, with clear strategies for achieving greater depth and ensuring every pupil can succeed.
The Porthleven Way
We refer to the culture of the Porthleven Way by linking its affirmations and principles to the teaching and learning in history.
By studying history, children understand past challenges and how societies have overcome them. This knowledge fosters a sense of safety, showing that people have faced difficulties before and found solutions. Our history curriculum teaches students about their local area, their nation, and the world. Learning about the past of Porthleven and beyond helps them feel part of something bigger, strengthening their sense of belonging.
Exploring historical events and decisions teaches students about consequences, ethics, and the importance of responsible actions in shaping a better future. Our curriculum places and emphasis on learning the critical skills of historians: identifying development, understanding cause and consequence, interpreting evidence and evaluating sources and their significance. Our history curriculum is filled with examples of people who made a difference: Mary Seacole, Walter Tull, Guglielmo Marconi to name a few. By learning about those who changed the world, children gain the confidence to believe they can make a difference too—whether through leadership, activism, or innovation.
What will children experience through history at Porthleven?
EYFS
In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), history is introduced through the Understanding the World area of learning, where children explore past and present experiences in a meaningful and engaging way. This is done through storytelling, role play, discussions about family history, and comparing old and new objects and identifying similarities and differences in buildings and places around Porthleven. All these experiences help children develop a sense of time and change. Teachers encourage curiosity by using photographs, artifacts, and visits from older generations to share personal stories, making history relatable. By observing seasonal changes, learning about key historical events, and celebrating cultural traditions, children begin to understand how the past shapes their world, fostering a strong foundation for historical awareness.
KS 1 & 2
Our history curriculum is enquiry based with an overarching question that introduces the unit of learning and which acts as an end point for teachers to assess against to identify how much children have learned. The learning in each lesson will also start with an enquiry question and a disciplinary knowledge concept that identify how historians investigate the past. Disciplinary knowledge is concerned with developing historical rational and critical thinking within the enquiry, and be categorised into 5 disciplinary concepts that are systematically developed in our history curriculum:
- Change, continuity & development – analysing the pace, nature and extent of change.
- Cause and consequence – selecting and combining information that might be deemed a cause and understanding the relationship between an event and future events.
- Significance and diversity – understanding how and why historical events, trends and individuals are thought of as being important and analysing g the extent and type of difference between people, groups, experiences or places in the same historical period.
- Chronological understanding – Developing a schematic, understanding of period of time.
- Interpretation – understanding how and why different accounts of the past are constructed.
Pupils are provided with a broad range of contexts for learning that have been mapped sequentially to aid the introduction and development of historical skills. Where possible contexts are in chronological order so pupils can develop a wider understanding the changes, continuity and development between periods of time, for instance: Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age; Anglo Saxons before Vikings; and the Roman Empire bore the British Empire.
Curriculum Impact
Our history curriculum is carefully defined and sequenced, ensuring a precise approach to assessment. Our assessments measure the specific knowledge pupils have learned and can apply. It will identify misconceptions and expose gaps in knowledge that can be addressed by the teacher. It is everyone’s responsibility to assess how well each aspect of the curriculum has been mastered and to provides opportunities to reinforce prior learning.
Assessment for learning- (daily: in class)
- Using consistent feedback and live marking strategies- (See Marking and Feedback Policy)
- Targeted questioning
- Pupil self-assessment and peer-assessment
- Low stakes testing – ‘Rapid Recall’
Formative Assessment
- Teachers assess at the beginning of every unit in geography and history, through pupils answering an overarching question for the unit of learning.
- Knowledge, skills, and concepts of foundation subjects are assessed through the answering of Fertile questions.
- Learning in History is evidenced in our learning conversations (adult/child, child/child, etc).
- Learning in Geography is evidenced in targeted questioning and response.