History Curriculum Intent, Implementation and Impact 

Intent: 

History intends to prepare each student for their next phase of education whilst at the same time giving all students a broad and balanced view of the History of Britain and other societies and epochs.  We aim to provide an inclusive curriculum which represents our school community, giving all of our pupils the understanding of their place in our world. 

In this, students will develop a well-rounded knowledge of the past and its events, with intention to improve every students’ cultural capital, understanding of the world around them and their own heritage. History at MRA aims to be ambitious, and motivating. Ambitious in our coverage of History and thorough teaching of Historical skills and concepts. Motivating, through engaging activities, trips and visitors that give all students an opportunity to question the past.

At MRA, we have designed our History curriculum with the intent that our children will:  

• Become increasingly critical and analytical thinkers  
• Possess a secure understanding of the chronology of the British Isles and other important periods of History  

• To discover links and connections to the History they learn and the wider community and locality  
• Further their knowledge and explanations of change and continuity over time with regards to the history of the British Isles and other societies and epochs  
• Differentiate between source types and explain how interpretations in History may differ   
• Draw on similarities and differences within given time frames and across previously taught History  
• Enquire into Historical themed questions and form their own opinions and interpretation of the past 
• Children are able to form links through historical and geographical concepts, exploring how these are layered and intertwined across human civilization allowing for a deeper explanation and broader understanding of the humanities

Implementation: 

The curriculum is led and overseen by the SLT and subject leaders. A regular programme of monitoring, evaluation and review and the celebration of good practice will contribute to the ongoing commitment to evolve and improve further.    

The teaching, learning and sequencing of the History curriculum follows:  

• A blocked cross- curriculum approach in KS1 which has been implemented to ensure coverage and progression in all skills relating to History. 

• A cross-curricular approach in KS2, utilizing the history topic as the overarching theme for all the learning conducted in the classroom 
• Teachers craft lessons that will draw on past knowledge, skills and understanding and apply this in relatable subjects 
• In KS1, the Historical skills will focus on the world around them and their living memory of history before moving to events that go beyond living history. This will ensure a firm foundation for KS2 history, where the humanities are blended where deemed necessary, in order support contextual understanding and historical and geographical concepts.
• Understanding chronology is an important and valued skill, and all classes are equipped with timelines which track the children’s prior learning from previous topics.  They are able to then visualise the period they are currently studying in context to their prior knowledge.  Pupils at MRA are expected to exercise their understanding of chronology both moving forward, and backwards in time, relevant to the period being studied.
• The progression of skills is set out in order to build and develop the following:  

• Chronological Understanding  
• Knowledge and interpretation   
• Historical Enquiry  
• Children are taught the sequence of skills and knowledge that are the components to a composite outcome.   
• Lessons will develop long term memory by allowing for repetition of learning within the year and year on year with Knowledge recall, Quizzing and end if unit essays giving the pupils the opportunities to show off their retained knowledge.  

• Vocabulary is taught within the unit and reinforced throughout the year.   
• PSHE is threaded through the History curriculum to link history to their lives and explore their heritage and cultural capital. 
• Key historical concepts are taught and linked across the humanities and prior historical topics

Impact: 

• Children form all backgrounds will have an understanding of their history and of their place in Britain and the wider world
• Children understand how historical concepts have driven the development of all civilizations 

• Children will become increasingly critical and analytical within their thinking. Making informed and balanced judgements based on their knowledge of the past.  
• Children will become increasingly aware of how historical events have shaped the world that they currently live in.  
• They will also have a further understanding of History on a local level and on a small-scale.   
• Children will develop enquiry skills to pursue their own interests within a topic and further questioning.  
• Where applicable, children will have encountered or participated in high-quality visits/visitors to further appreciate the impact of History.  

• Children are to retain prior-learning and explicitly make connections between what they have previously learned and what they are currently learning.   
• Children are able to place periods of civilization in chronological order and make inferences on those civilizations based on the time period that they existed