History is important because it helps pupils to understand and interpret the past, and
therefore, the present. Through history, pupils develop a deeper cross-cultural awareness and understanding of
their own and others’ heritage, through looking at evidence and asking and answering
questions. In history, we can analyse successes and failures, which, in turn, teaches us to learn from
our mistakes.

The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future. - Theodore Roosevelt

Intent

Here at Witherley we believe History is an important part of the curriculum as the history that pupils learn encourages them not to simply see the past through the lens of the present, but to understand how values and attitudes have changed over time. It challenges pupils to view events from different perspectives, leading to greater empathy and understanding of events and situations. Our history curriculum inspires pupils' curiosity, leading them to ask relevant questions and think critically when searching for answers.

Through our history curriculum the children will:

•  Show a curiosity about the past and a wish to know more about life long ago. 
• Use my critical thinking skills to analyze historical evidence: primary and secondary. 
• Think, reflect, debate and evaluate the past, asking questions which I have created, demonstrating eloquence and a rich vocabulary. 
• Undertake high quality research using a variety of sources, including the internet, books and articles. 
• Communicate and present my ideas confidently and clearly to a range of audiences.

Implementation

When is History taught?
History is taught through thematic units. The attached overview (Appendix 1) maps out
which thematic units feature this subject and the Long-Term Plan (Appendix 2) clearly
shows the objectives taught.

How is History taught?
History is taught through a combination of subject knowledge, historical skills, enquiry and
fieldwork. Learning takes place both inside and outside the classroom.


What do we learn about in History?
We learn about the following:-

Old Things
Wars (World Wars, Civil Wars)

The Ancient Greeks

The Inuits

Roman Empire and Invasions

Inventors e.g. Thomas Edison

The Mayans

The Benin

Famous historical figures

Broadcasting

Religions

Democracy

Transport

Extinction

Animation Technology e.g. the Internet and World Wide Web
The Moon Landing

Significant local history figures / events

Apartheid / Anti-Semitism

Discovery of America / Native Americans Legacy

Who do we learn about in History?
We learn about the following individuals:-

Thomas Edison

Walt Disney
Mother Teresa
Neil Armstrong

Roman Emperors and rulers

Martin Luther-King

Nelson Mandela

Rosa Parks 

World Leaders

Tim Berners-Lee

John Logie Baird

Steve Jobs

Carl Linnaeus

Foundation Stage

In the Foundation Stage history is taught as an integral part of the Learning Means the World themes during the year. The area of learning covered by history within the Foundation Stage is called Knowledge and Understanding of the World, The Early Learning Goals that are specific to history are:

Past and Present

Talk about the lives of the people around them and their roles in society;

Know some similarities and differences between things in the past and now, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class;

Understand the past through settings, characters and events encountered in books read in class and storytelling;

Impact

Through the high quality first teaching of History taking place we will see the impact of the subject in different ways.

Through pupil voice children will be able to talk about the skills and knowledge they have acquired. Children will be engaged in History lessons and want to find out more. Children will complete research independently through projects and homework and to further their own enjoyment about the subject or topic. 

As historians, children will learn lessons from history to influence the decisions they make in their lives in the future.

In Explorers we are historians through Understanding the world. We talk about our families and people who are important to us. We think about and observe changes that happen in our lives. We learn about things that have happened in the past through stories. We talked about the changes in washing clothes using Mrs Mopple’s washing line. We also explored Bonfire Night and found out about Guy Fawkes.