History

Understand historical concepts such as:
Continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance and use them to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame historically-valid questions and create their own structured accounts, including written narratives and analyses

Understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed

Gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between:
local, regional, national and international history, cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history, short- and long-term timescales.

Curriculum & School Organisation
Coverage of History in each year group is integrated where possible into termly Learning Journey plans. Medium term planning is incorporated into termly holistic plans. Evidence of the learning in history can be evidenced through children's Learning Journey books, display of work, photographs and newsfeeds on the website. We aim to teach History as part of a broad and balanced curriculum. We seek every opportunity to develop History with cross curricular links to Maths, Literacy, Computing and Design and Technology and any other subject when suitable.

EYFS Area: Understanding of the World
By the end of Reception children should:
People and Communities: Children talk about past and present events in their own lives and in the lives of family members. They know that other children don't always enjoy the same things, and are sensitive to this. They know about similarities and differences between themselves and others, and among families, communities and traditions.

Key stage 1 and 2 History is planned from the statutory programmes of study within the National Curriculum.

Teaching and learning style
History teaching at Wrenbury focuses on maintaining curiosity. In every series of lessons, we aim to give children opportunities to ask questions about the past and use primary and secondary sources to find answers. The teacher must also ensure children understand the reliability of the sources they are using and take into consideration the possibility of bias.

History is linked to Learning Journey topics where possible. However, where links might be considered tenuous, it will be taught as a discrete subject. Where work is cross curricular, children may experience History through:

Enquiry based research
Use of data -- statistics, graphs, pictures and photographs
Computing to gather research or present information
Role play
Problem solving
Outdoor education, visits and visitors
Literacy and Numeracy lessons
Links to other subjects
Current affairs

The learning environment
The learning environment is of great importance at Wrenbury. History in the classrooms, the village and the local area will:

• Promote and maintain curiosity;
• Provide a stimulus for the history focus being taught and learned;
• Create safe investigative environments for children to explore history, pose questions and find answers;
• Provide access to the resources necessary for children to question, inquire, analyse and discover;
• Provide an interactive learning focus to engage children with History;
• Celebrate pupils' learning and achievements and showcase the History taking place in school.

Curriculum enhancement opportunities
Local Study; school visits with links to history; visitors to school; history experiences during Learning Journey theme days and whole school projects all provide further opportunities to participate in history. This will include spot light on History days including Remembrance Day.

At Wrenbury, we look for ways to provide a greater insight into the past and its impact on the present, when appropriate to do so, beyond the National Curriculum. For example, Year 6, through their reading of The Garbage King by Elizabeth Laird, became aware of children being trafficked and sold to work as slaves. This brought about an historical inquiry into the slave trade. Mr Taylor (a governor) came in to talk to the children about modern day slavery to raise their awareness that slavery is not a thing of the past but is happening today in the UK and around the world.

Assessment, Recording and Reporting
We currently assess children's learning at the end of a series of lessons through class teacher's judgments, AfL and an assessment task. The children are assessed as 'above expectation', 'online' or 'below expectation'. This information is collated annually by class teachers.

The History Subject Leader monitors coverage, standards and progression through reviewing cohort assessment, lesson observations, work in books/display and pupil voice. The History Subject Leader will produce a curriculum review at year end and this feeds into action plans and an annual curriculum report to governors.

Monitoring, review and evaluation
Monitoring the standard of children's work and the quality of teaching in History is the responsibility of the History Subject Leader. The History Subject Leader is also responsible for supporting colleagues in the teaching of History, informing staff of developments in the subject and for providing a strategic lead and direction for the subject in the school.

The History Subject Leader will provide an annual curriculum review and feedback form which will be shared with Governors at the annual Curriculum meeting. The professional development needs of staff are assessed through monitoring and where necessary further training is provided. This may be Professional Development Opportunities provided internally or external courses as appropriate.

To deepen the understanding of the governors about the teaching of history at Wrenbury, the subject lead presents 'History at Wrenbury' to the Teaching and Learning committee. This allows for questions and answers and therefore greater clarity. Our link governor, acting as a Critical Friend, will also be invited into school to monitor History. This may be to talk to children, observe History being taught and meet with the History subject-leader to discuss the standing of History in school. Each year the Critical Friend will complete feedback which will inform future monitoring.

Coverage and progression is monitored by the Subject Leader. The History Subject Leader ensures policy is in practice and is implemented across the school.

Resourcing
The school buys into the Education Library Service and is able to order a wide range of quality books and artefacts to support the teaching of history. Teachers actively source other resources — photographs, illustrations and artefacts that will enhance the learning in history.

Websites can be used through the desktops and IWB in each classroom.
Wrenbury provides children with the opportunity to maintain curiosity beyond the classroom through outdoor areas, educational visits, homework tasks and, wherever possible, through visitors to school.

CPD
Where opportunities arise, the History Subject Leader will attend regular courses for latest developments in History or liaise with colleagues form other schools to ensure that our teaching in history is up-to-date. This is shared with staff formally (staff meetings) and informally (ongoing professional dialogue). Where staff request further CPD, the Subject Leader will arrange in liaison with the head.

2018-19 — the NEP (Nantwich Education Partnership) has set up a History Hub with the support of a History Specialist. Wrenbury is part of the hub. The Subject Leader has attended termly training; seen and shared good practice and led in-house training to disseminate to our school staff.

Curriculum Risk Assessment
Staff are asked to use professional judgment with regard to pupil safety in individual lessons. Where it is deemed necessary, individual lesson risk assessments will be completed.

Links with other subjects
We seek every opportunity to develop history with cross curricular links to all areas of the curriculum when appropriate.