The history curriculum at Wolfson Hillel develops children’s knowledge of historical periods, events and significant individuals alongside their understanding of key historical skills. It is carefully structured, allowing children to study events in history in chronological order. This enables them to understand how the world developed and changed over time, whilst allowing them to make comparisons with periods already studied.
Children will use historical skills to help them explore historical concepts and question the validity of the sources they are shown. These skills include chronology, historical terminology, historical enquiry, interpreting history and key concepts such as change and continuity, cause and consequence and similarity and difference.
The historical periods chosen have been selected to provide a varied, broad and ambitious curriculum and will engage pupils in the history of different cultures and countries. Careful attention has been paid to the KS3 curriculum to ensure that pupils are well-prepared for secondary school and have key historical knowledge and skills in place by the end of Year 6.
Our History planner can be found here.
In EYFS, following the guidelines of the new framework, the children will use historical skills to explore the topics of transport, archaeology, family, space, and Royalty. They will use practical skills, noticing changes, describing differences and exploring artefacts through play as well as through some targeted carpet sessions. They will learn to ask questions and how to find the answers. In Key Stage One, children’s historical journey begins with the familiar; toys. Through their understanding of the recent past, children will explore how this concept has changed through time. They will recall the lives of significant individuals and use historical skills to understand their impact on modern-day lives. During Year 2, the children will learn about the Gunpowder plot and be introduced to the concepts of parliament and laws. They will also study Significant Kings and Queens and gain a sense of national pride interwoven with fundamental British Values. To further bring their learning to life, children will also visit topic-relevant museums and monuments.
In Key Stage Two, children will embark on a chronological journey through time starting with prehistoric Britain. Throughout their learning, they will explore concepts of migration, empire, civilization, continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance. Immersive hands-on experiences with artefacts and research together with trips to real-life remains will embed a deeper understanding of the period they are learning.
In Upper Key Stage Two, children will be able to connect with their Jewish routes through the study of WW2, the Holocaust and Jewish life in London. To broaden their knowledge, the children will also learn about Early Islamic Civilisation. Enquiry-based learning will encourage the children to explore new concepts and apply them to different contexts. Through enquiries, they will discover some of the knowledge for themselves by exploring, experiencing and discussing historical topics and undertaking a thematic study from 1066 to the present day.
To tie the curriculum together and to create clear links between topics, we have 7 strands of learning that run through the entire curriculum. These strands are Royals & Rulers, Trade, Food & Farming, Language, Homes & Settlements, Medicine & Health and Religion, and Law & Order.
Our progression of knowledge strands can be found here.
History is taught 3 times a year in each year group. Each of the 3 units are taught for approximately 9 lessons over a 3-week period.
Pupils will explore historical concepts in a variety of ways in order to demonstrate their understanding of how historians came to their conclusions. They will use different source materials such as timelines, books, photographs, the internet, artefacts and digital media as well as visit historical sites and museums.
A giant whole school timeline displayed in the dining hall gives pupils an overview of the entire history curriculum at Wolfson Hillel as well as displaying key events in the Jewish Studies curriculum, allowing links to be made between the two. Children have their own personal timelines in their books to refer to. Knowledge organisers outline the key concepts and knowledge to be covered in each unit and these are sent home to parents and are referred to throughout the unit. Retrieval activities begin each lesson to ensure previous learning is recapped, practised and understood.
Strategies from The Writing Revolution (our English writing programme) are also used in history lessons. This ensures that writing in history is of high quality whilst embedding content in the process.
Topic homework allows pupils to have the opportunity to extend their historical understanding in creative ways and children are also encouraged to take part in history competitions and story-writing opportunities whenever these arise.
The Subject Lead has a clear overview of history across the whole school and plans with teachers to provide well- thought out lessons that ensure progression in historical knowledge and skills and which make links to previous learning. The Subject Lead attends subject training regularly and has led a range of INSET for staff to support them with their teaching. Teachers often attend courses to improve their subject knowledge prior to planning.
Our assessment grid can be found here.
The Wolfson Hillel history assessment grid sets out clearly the skills to be taught in each year group. Key knowledge to be covered in each unit is laid out in topic overviews which are provided for the staff. Lessons have a learning objective linked to one of the key skills shown in the assessment grid. Teachers use assessment for learning strategies throughout the unit to ensure the pupils are progressing well. Retrieval quizzes and pupils’ written work also provide evidence for teachers’ assessment of history learning. Progress is reported at the end of each unit in an assessment grid and any areas of weakness are highlighted to inform planning for the following unit.
The Subject Leader monitors the subject – working closely with teachers to ensure high-quality teaching. Regular lesson observations, book scrutiny and pupil interviews are undertaken in each year group to maintain good teaching practice.
Reading plays a big part in history learning. In each topic, children undertake research by reading from pre-prepared texts, books or on the internet in order to answer enquiry questions and are encouraged to question why the versions of events may differ. Children often write about what they have read using historical vocabulary and terminology. The children are exposed to a wide selection of history books in the library and in their classrooms that can also extend their learning.
It is crucial that history is accessible to all pupils. The Subject Leader and teachers plan together to ensure that there is accessible work provided for SEN children for each unit. Teachers meet regularly with the SENCO to discuss practical ways to support the pupils within their classrooms. Knowledge Organisers and retrieval practice are used to remind children of the key facts in each lesson. Differentiated tasks and resources are carefully planned to cater for all needs and to help all children make progress.
A range of videos, texts and hands-on resources are available for our SEN children to help with their subject knowledge and understanding of historical concepts. Daily reading for SEN children includes books linked to the topic. Video links to developmentally appropriate topic content are sent to parents and TAs to share with SEN children prior to the start of the topic as a method of pre-teaching.