Intent

At Dudley Wood we want our history curriculum to inspire the children’s curiosity to know and understand more about the past; both Britain’s past and that of the wider world. We want our children to know about the process of change; the complexity of people’s lives; the diversity of societies and the relationships between different groups; and understand how this has shaped their own identity and the challenges of their time. Through our history lessons, we aim to inspire children to develop a love of history, through investigating and interpreting information, they will learn how legacies and innovations have helped change and shape civilisations through time.  

Implementation

Dudley Wood offers a well-planned history curriculum which ensures the children cover the knowledge and concepts required in the National Curriculum, progressively. These key historical skills and concepts are revisited throughout different units. Children will develop an understanding of how we know about the past by interrogating a range of sources of evidence and, with increasing confidence, consider their usefulness and reliability. 

In order for children to know more and remember more in each area of history studied, there is a structure to each lesson whereby prior learning is always considered and opportunities for revision of facts and historical knowledge are built into lessons. This helps to build depth to the children’s historical understanding. Through revisiting and consolidating skills, our history lessons at Dudley Wood, help our children to build on prior knowledge whilst introducing new skills and challenge. The introduction and revision of key vocabulary is built into each lesson. This vocabulary is then included in display materials and additional resources to ensure that children are allowed opportunities to repeat and revise this knowledge.  

The historical concept of chronology is reinforced across the curriculum, for example in Music and Art, pupils learn about the history and culture of different pieces of music and art, identifying the movement they are from and placing them on a timeline.

Impact

The impact of the Dudley Wood history curriculum is measured against the progression outcomes for each lesson, and the National Curriculum aims. It is evidenced by the children’s ability, willingness and confidence to address and discuss each unit’s key driving question, giving a response focusing on historical vocabulary, skills and concepts. Their knowledge of each unit will contribute to their wider understanding of how the past has shaped the modern world.  

Characteristics of a historian

• A love of history! 

• A curiosity to know more about the past 

• The ability to ask perceptive questions and think critically

• The ability to give responses focusing on historical vocabulary, skills and concepts  

• An understanding of the importance of using evidence to justify opinions

• An understanding of historical concepts such as similarities and differences, cause and consequence and significance in order to compare

• An understanding of how we know about the past through a range of primary and secondary sources of evidence

• The ability to consider the helpfulness and reliability of a range of sources of evidence

• A desire to want to continue building on their wealth of historical knowledge and understanding

Whole school overview

Knowledge Organisers

A knowledge organiser is a document that summarises the key information and essential knowledge about your child's learning.