History Policy
Person responsible: Miss Home
Date policy written: January 2015
Date policy shared: 13th February 2015
To be reviewed: July 2015
Mission Statement:
At Allington Primary School we believe in providing the pupils with a highquality history education which will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and
understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. It should inspire
pupils curiosity to know more about the past. Teaching should equip pupils to
ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh arguments and develop
perspective and judgement. History helps pupils to understand the complexity
of people’s lives and the progress of change.
Aims:
The national curriculum for history aims to ensure that all pupils:
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know and understand the history of these islands as a coherent,
chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day: how
people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced
and been influenced by the wider world
know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider
world: the nature of ancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution
of empires; characteristic features of past non-European societies;
achievements and follies of mankind
gain and deploy a historically grounded understanding of abstract
terms such as ‘empire’, ‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and ‘peasantry’
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; between cultural, economic,
military, political, religious and social history; and between short- and
long-term timescales.
Subject content
Key Stage 1
Pupils should develop an awareness of the past, using common words and
phrases relating to the passing of time. They should know where the people
and events they study fit within a chronological framework and identify
similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods. They
should use a wide vocabulary of everyday historical terms. They should ask
and answer questions, choosing and using parts of stories and other sources
to show that they know and understand key features of events. They should
understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify
different ways in which it is represented.
At Allington we strive the cover these objectives in our cross-curricular topics
throughout the school.
Year 1 coverage:
Terms 1 & 2 Water topic.
 Events beyond living memory- History of the RNLI
 Lives of significant individuals that have contributed to national
achievements- Grace Darling
 Changes in living memory- How boats have changed.
Terms 3 & 4 Castles topic
 Significant historical places in their locality- Castles in Kent; focusing
on Allington, Leeds, Dover, Bodiam and Rochester. Where they were
built and why.
 Events beyond living memory- Castles, when they were built, name
features of a castle, who lived in a castle, jobs and role within a castle,
attacking and defending.
Terms 5 & 6 Fit for life topic
 Significant historical people- Roger Bannister.
 Changes within living memory- 2012 Olympics and its legacy. Famous
people- Mo Farrah.
 Events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globallyHistory of medicine, Florence Nightingale, Mary Seacole, Edith Cavell.
Year 2 coverage:
Terms 1 & 2 Britain/India topic
 Changes in living memory- Museum of Kent Life, how food, clothing,
technology have changed in 100 years. Examine rationing and food
now compare to the war. Family history (Geography link). Changes in
India in past 100 years.
Terms 3 & 4 Explorers topic
 Lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to
national and international achievements- Study lives and explorations
of explorer from the past, Robert Falcon Scott, and a present day
explorer, Neil Armstrong.
 Events beyond living memory that are significant globally-space
exploration, first man on the moon and South Pole.
Terms 5 & 6 Whose world is it?
 Events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globallyGreat Fire of London- facts, causes, Samuel Pepys, St Pauls
Cathedral, London Landmarks. Changes in houses/ fire brigade.
Key Stage 2
Pupils should continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and
understanding of British, local and world history, establishing clear narratives
within and across the periods they study. They should note connections,
contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical
terms. They should regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid
questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.
They should construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection
and organisation of relevant historical information. They should understand
how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
Year 3 coverage:
Terms 1 & 2
 Tudors- Study of an aspect or theme in British history beyond 1066.
 Local history- A study of an aspect of history or a site dating from a
period beyond 1066 that is significant in the locality- Allington Castle
and Maidstone focus.
Terms 5 & 6
 Egyptians-The achievements of an earliest civilization- an overview of
where and when the first civilisation appeared and a depth study of
Ancient Egypt.
Year 4 coverage:
Terms 1 & 2
 Why have people invaded and settled in the past? A Roman and Celt
case study- The roman empire and it’ impact on Britain (i.e. Julia
Caesar’s invasion 55-54BC, Roman empire & power, Hadrian’s Wall,
British resistance, ‘Romanisation of Britain etc)
Terms 3 & 4
 What was it like for children in the Second World War? A study of an
aspect or theme in British history that extends children’s chronological
knowledge beyond 1066- a significant turning point in British history, for
example, WW2.
Terms 5 & 6
 (Non-European) Mayan contrast to British history- A Non-European
society that provides contrasts with British history- Mayan civilisation c.
AD900
Year 5 coverage:
Terms 1 & 2
 Invaders and settlers -The Vikings and Anglo-Saxons struggle for the
kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor (i.e. Viking
raids and invasions, Anglo-Saxon laws and justice, Edward the
Confessor etc) Roman withdrawal from Britain & fall of Western
Roman Empire, Scots invasion from Ireland to Scotland, Anglo-Saxon
invasions, settlements, art and culture.
Terms 5 & 6
 The Victorians - A study of an aspect or theme in British history that
extends children’s chronological knowledge beyond 1066
Year 6 coverage:
 Greeks - Ancient Greece- a study of Greek life and achievements and
their influence on the Western World
Key skills in History
Key stage 1
1. Chronological understanding- know where people & events fit within
chronological order. Develop an awareness of the past & passing of
time.
2. Vocabulary- use wide vocabulary of everyday historical terms.
3. Processes- use parts of stories & other sources to show that they know
& understand key features.
4. Differences –between ways of life at different times (inc similarities)
5. Representation- identify different ways the past is represented.
6. Historical enquiry – understand some of the ways we find out about the
past.
7. Questioning – ask & answer questions about the past.
Key stage 2
1. Chronological understanding- develop a chronologically secure
knowledge and understanding.
2. Vocabulary- develop the appropriate use of historical terms.
3. Features of the past- know and understand how significant aspects of
history; nature of ancient civilisations; expansions & dissolution of
empires; characteristics features of the past non-European societies.
4. Diversity –Gain historical perspective by placing their growing
knowledge into different contexts.
5. Causes- Questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and
significance.
6. Links – Note connections, contrasts and trends over time. Establish
clear narratives within and across periods of time.
7. Historical interpretation – Understand how our knowledge of the past is
constructed from a range of sources and those different versions of
past events may exist, giving some reasons for this.
8. Historical enquiry – Understand the methods of historical enquiry, how
evidence is used to make historical claims discern how & why
contrasting arguments & interruptions of the past have been
constructed.
9. Questioning – Regularly address and sometimes devise historically
valid questions.
10. Organise – Construct informed responses that involve thoughtful
selection and organisation of relevant historical information.
11. Communicate– Make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends,
frame historically- valid questions and create their own structured
accounts, including written narratives and analyses.
Roles and responsibilities
The Head Teacher will be responsible for:
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reporting to the Governors about any monitoring that has taken place
developing the monitoring policy
supporting the History Co-ordinator
allocating the budget
The History Co-ordinator will be responsible for:
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reviewing the coverage of the curriculum and ensuring that the
objectives are being met through our varied cross-curricular approach
ensuring that there is progression through the school
ensuring the effective teaching of History throughout the school and
monitoring as outlined in the Monitoring Policy
auditing, organising and purchasing History resources
organising trips and visitors for the school.
offering support and advice on possible teaching activities to all staff
informing staff of relevant courses etc to encourage personal
professional development
Class Teachers will be responsible for:
 including effective History teaching activities in their short and medium
term planning
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striving to include the key objectives in their planning to ensure
progression.
setting clear objectives, success criteria and assessing pupil’s work
informing the History Co-ordinator of any resource requirements
Equal Opportunities
All children should have equal access to the History curriculum in line with the
school’s Equal Opportunities Policy.
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All activities are offered to boys and girls.
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Work from all cultures/countries will be provided and the children will
be given opportunity to discuss.
Teachers will aim to provide effective learning opportunities by:
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setting suitable learning challenges
responding to children’s learning needs
overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment for
individuals and groups of children.
Special Needs
1. Opportunities will be provided for children with learning
difficulties through differentiation in planning.
2. More able children will have extension activities.
3. The needs of children with physical disabilities will be taken into
consideration when planning work.
4. Parents will be encouraged to take their children to
museums/local sites to look at examples of History.
5. Children will be encouraged to reflect and develop their work.
The SENCO and the Co-ordinator will try to advise teachers on the activities
relevant to pupils with Special Educational Needs.
Monitoring and Review
The teaching of History will be monitored by the History coordinator and will
include feeding back to the class teacher and Head Teacher. A standard
format will be used. Monitoring will be carried out in the form of observation,
speaking to the children and evaluating their books, looking at displays and
scrutinising teacher’s planning. Governors will work alongside the cocoordinator to ensure the policy is being followed to successfully deliver the
planned outcomes.
The monitoring will be used to identify staff development needs and ensure a
range of appropriate resources are provided. In addition to this, monitoring will
be used to ensure effective learning for all children.
This policy is reviewed on a regular basis as part of our ongoing curriculum
monitoring programme unless national initiatives deem it necessary to review
it earlier.