Sonning Common
Primary School
POLICY
STATEMENT
FOR
HISTORY
Policy Statement for History
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HISTORY POLICY
Aims
The aims of the history syllabus are:
•
To arouse pupils' interest in and enthusiasm for the past.
•To help pupils achieve an understanding of Britain's development, both at home
and in relation to the wider world.
•To help pupils understand the present, and to make decisions based on their
investigations of what has happened in the past.
•To develop inquiring and disciplined minds in their preparation for adulthood .
•To introduce pupils to what is involved in understanding and interpreting the
past.
•To understand the nature of evidence by emphasising history as a process of
enquiry and develop the range of skills required to interpret primary and
secondary source material.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
KEY STAGE 1
At Key Stage 1 pupils will begin to develop an awareness of time through their
own lives and experience of family. This foundation will be built upon through
discussion, looking at photographs, through books and stories, to engender a
greater appreciation of time and of the differences between their own lives and
times past.
Pupils will be encouraged to question why events happened as they did and how
lives were affected, with as much direct research of their own as is practicable.
Resources available are published materials :- "Time and Space." and "A Sense of
History."
KEY STAGE 2
Pupils will follow the guidelines laid down in the programmes of study for the
National Curriculum.
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Policy Statement for History
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At Key Stage 2 pupils will be encouraged to develop lines of enquiry and
research, which will enable them to find out about the past. They should learn to
ask why events happened as they did, what were the effects on different people
and what can be learned from these events. Pupils will learn to place periods of
time in chronological order, and to develop a "historical" vocabulary, As far as
possible they should base their findings on direct evidence, with trips to sites of
relevant historic interest, but as this is not always practicable they should also
look at secondary sources of evidence, such as books, posters, photographs and
paintings. Pupils should be aware that sometimes evidence is contradictory, and
that secondary sources can sometimes express an individual point of view, rather
than be wholly conclusive.
Within the key stage pupils will learn about their own village and its development
and growth, particularly as it relates to the core study unit of Britain since 1930,
and they will study education within the village with a particular reference to the
school. Within the programmes of study pupils will find out as much as possible
about the domestic lives of the people of the period being studied, so that over the
whole key stage they have a wide body of knowledge with which to compare and
contrast life styles.
ORGANISATION.
KEY STAGE 1
At this stage pupils will develop their knowledge and understanding of the past in
Topic or Cross-curricular studies. This will allow them to relate their learning
experiences to other areas of the curriculum.
Whenever a topic is history based, pupils will be made aware that they are
studying history.
Resources will be kept within the infant department, the history co-ordinator and
the head of infants will review the need for new resources each year. As the
resources will be continually upgraded a separate list of resources will be kept as
an appendix to this policy and within the infant department.
KEY STAGE 2
History will currently be taught in individual year bands, until such time as
numbers within school may suggest a necessity to revert to mixed bands.
Pupils at Years 3 and 4 may well pursue their studies as part of a broader topicbased approach.
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Policy Statement for History
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Pupils at Years 5 and 6 will study history with a designated time each week,
where the timetabling of history is relevant for that term.
Resources will mostly be kept centrally, with a designated box for each study
area. As the resources will be reviewed and upgraded annually, after discussion
between staff and the humanities co-ordinator, a list of resources will be kept as
an appendix to this policy and within each study box.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND ASSESSMENT.
Information technology is used to record and investigate data. Long-term
retrieval systems are initiated (eg. wills, census material) to which children are
able to add material. Use of the computer has direct links across the curriculum
with language and mathematics.
Assessment is an integral part of the planning process and is a way of
establishing children's performance and progress. Opportunities for assessment
will be seen within a wide range of evidence. eg. written, maps, posters, charts,
drawings and discussion. The Oxfordfordshire guide to progression in history,
together with the summative level descriptors in the National Curriculum
highlight the skills against which teachers will make their assessments of a pupil's
ability. Staff must therefore ensure that tasks given to children match the
particular skill or concept they are assessing. It will be assumed that a pupil is
making suitable progress, unless a comment is made which would indicate that a
pupil has a particular problem or is performing at a very high level.
SPECIAL NEEDS.
Wherever possible pupils with learning difficulties should follow a similar
programme of study to their peer group. This may require staff to plan for them at
a different rate, with shorter more structured steps towards a target. Recording
may also have to be modified to take into account a pupil's needs, possibly
allowing the use of more pictures and diagrams, and with the use of a tape
recorder or the computer. These pupils will probably need more in the way of
pictorial aids, and more structured photocopiable resources.
Pupils who are exceptionally able will need to have more open ended tasks
presented them, allowing them to develop their investigative skills more fully.
They may need more one to one time with the teacher or with another adult to
discuss their theories. They should be encouraged to present their work in more
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Policy Statement for History
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imaginative ways, rather than simply by more written work, so developing their
skills of debate and reasoning based on sound evidence.
DISTRIBUTION OF HISTORY STUDY UNITS
YEAR 3
Invaders and settlers ; The Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings
Duration; Whole term
Unit to study the impact the other invading nations had on Great Britain and to
establish a time line to place invasions in chronological order
YEAR 4
Ancient Greece
Duration ; Whole term
Aspect of local study
Duration; Whole term
To include some field study work. Focusing on a study of education in the area
and a history of the school.
THE HISTORY OF SONNING COMMON PRIMARY SCHOOL
Aims:
Practical based enquiry using primary and secondary evidence.
Developing questions for interviews with local people.
Give narrative accounts and verbal presentations of findings.
Organise findings logically.
Appreciate that change can be long or short term. Appreciate that
local affairs can be affected by national events.
CROSS-CURRICULUM LINKS:
Geography Map work. Ordnance symbols.
Plans- school plans. buildings. grounds.
Changes to the environment.
R.E.
A C.of E. Church.(A look at Kidmore End church)
Information Technology
Enter data from school records into Database with regard to
school numbers.
Maths
Produce graphs, frequency charts based on above.
Language
Looking at written records. Reading and using information
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Design.
Art
Role play - pre-war school day in Old Hall.
Design uniform for the future.
Sketches on walk and of school.
YEAR 5
THE TUDORS; Duration; Whole term
BASIC RESOURCES.
BBC and ITV Videos - How We Used to Live.
Landmarks video.
Library resources.
School library.
Greys Church, Greys Court
Trip to Mary Rose or trip to Hampton Court.
Posters and books to order.
Copies of Pepys Diary.
Resource box in staff room.
CROSS-CURRICULUM LINKS
Language - projects, word-searches, journals, arguments for opposing sides
Geography - Spain and Britain as part of Europe. Spanish and British
explorations to the New World. Origins of settlements and villages, with
reference to Henley, Reading, Oxford. religious persecution.
Information Technology - Use of Tray, Flexi-write. Eventually Landmarks
program.
Art - The portrait and its development. Importance of art in giving us clues to the
past.
Technology - Costume design. Tudor games- devise new ones. The design of
Tudor ships.
RE - Changes to the Church during Henry Eighth's reign. Dissolution of
Monasteries. Persecution of Catholics, New prayer book under James I.
STUDY PROGRAMME.
What can we find out about the Tudors, which will help us to understand them?
Try and draw out the following ideas from the children:
- costumes
- architecture
- homes
- diet
- furniture
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- entertainments
- education
- monarchs, Henry VIII, his lifestyle and court.
Relationship of monarch and subjects.
- foreign affairs - importance of navy and army and subsequent
development.
Talk about sources, which tell us of their lives.
Tudor Family tree - Time line in relationship with ourselves.
Court Life under Henry - entertainments and richness of life.
The Navy - possible trip to see Mary Rose. What clues do the artefacts found on
board the ship tell us about life on board the ship. Also about Tudor life in
general. What does the Mary Rose tell us about the foreign policy of the time.
Facts about Henry's life - his wives, and how his relationships brought about
political and religious change. Talk about how some of changes were short term
but how some have long term effects eg Devolution of Monasteries. The break
from Rome and establishing of Church of England.
Architecture and use of building materials - look at local manor, also cottage in
Shiplake Bottom.
Use of chimneys. change from wood to brick.
Differences between the rich and poor, lifestyle. furnishings etc.
Death of Henry and succession. Elizabeth Ist.
Differences brought about in her reign
The Spanish Armada - causes and developments.
Who was Shakespeare ? - try and develop the line of enquiry to find out some of
the influences in Shakespeare's life, Political and social. Look at the Globe
theatre.
YEAR 6
BRITAIN SINCE 1930; Duration; Whole term
BASIC RESOURCES
ITV "How we used to Live " Video.
The War Papers.
Library books.
Interviews with families and friends.
CROSS-CURRICULUM LINKS
Language - many aspects, from journals to reports.
Geography - Europe at war, the threat of invasion.
The world at war.
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Policy Statement for History
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Information Technology - Flexi-write, tray, crossword.
Music - The development and changes in music throughout the period.
Technology - Changes in technical developments over the period, differences in
design and artefacts from the beginning of the period to the present day.
STUDY PROGRAMME.
Brainstorm what children already know about the period 1930-1970.
Use of video to stimulate discussion on differences in the home, costume,
peoples' expectations between then and now.
Decline of heavy industry, growth of new industries. Changes in transport over
the years.
Start of world war 2. Possible reasons for its start.
The main military events of the war.
The Home Front, evacuees, rationing, air raids.
Effects of the war on Sonning Common. Questionnaire for grandparents or local
people. School log, which shows increased school numbers because of evacuees.
Story map of Sonning Common 1939-45. Look at local evidence of war time
buildings at Bishopswood. Growth of Sonning Common since war.
Changing role of men and women after 1945. Inventions and discoveries.
Religious changes and their effect, Fashion, music, sport, architecture.
ANCIENT EGYPT; Duration; 6-8 weeks
BASIC RESOURCES
BBC Landmarks Video
BBC Tomb of Tutankhamun Video
Library books
County Library service
Museum trip.
CROSS-CURRICULUM LINKS
Language - Different aspects of recording life of the Egyptians.
Geography - Locate Egypt on the map. The river Nile and systems of a river.
Modern Egypt.
Information Technology - Flexi-write, Tray, Crossword. (Possibly Landmarks
program for future)
R.E.- Stories from the Bible of Joseph and Moses.
Technology - Look at Egyptian systems of irrigation, design and make own
Shadoof. Design and make an improved system.
Art - Look at Egyptian wall paintings and column designs, make own in similar
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Policy Statement for History
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vein.
STUDY PROGRAMME.
Brainstorm childrens' ideas about what we could try and find out about Egyptian
life. Look at Egyptian dynasty and structure. Examine on a time line when the
great dynasties existed.
Look at the role of the Pharaoh and how the people respected him. Look at
pictures depicting Pharaohs and their links with the Gods.
Look at Pyramids and the ritual of burial. Examine the evidence of what was
found in the tomb of Tutankhamun and the clues this gives us as to what the
people believed. Change over time from burial in Pyramids to burial in Valley of
Kings.
Religion - the gods and what they represented. Evidence from wall paintings.
Associated myths and legends.
Daily life - the importance of the Nile. The Egyptian year based around the
flooding of the Nile.
Homes, costume, food and work. Again clues from paintings and artefacts found
in the tombs.
Education and writing. The Rosetta stone and its importance to archaeologists.
Trade and war.
RESOURCE LIST
ROMANS
• Zig-zag video.
• Box of artefacts - coins, tiles, photographs, mosaic cloth, lamp.
• Longman's "Sense of History" poster pack.
• Sundry posters and information books from museums.
Books
'The Romans pop-up'
'3 x Roman Britain'
'Rome and Romans'
'See Inside a Roman Town'
'Roman Britain'
'The Everyday Life of a Roman Soldier'
'The Romans '
Andy and Maggy Hall.
BBC Factfinders
Osborne Time Traveller
Kingfisher
National Trust Activity Book
Macdonald
Ladybird
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'Housesteads in the days of the Romans'
R.Embleton
'Puzzle Picture Book of the Roman Army '
Museum
'The Romans: Fact and Fiction Adventures in Roman Britain'
'The Romans '
Collins Invaders
'Roman Activity Book'
British Museum
'Britain Before the Romans'
ANCIENT GREECE.
• Longman's 'Sense of History' Poster pack.
• BBC Zig-Zag Video.
• Jim Henson's Greek Myths
• 'Ancient Lands' - Microsoft CD-Rom
Books
4 x Ancient Greece + teacher's guide
Ancient Greece + teacher's guide
'Ancient Greece' -History as Evidence.
'See Inside an Ancient Greek Town'
'Ancient Greece'
'A closer Look at the Ancient Greeks'
'The Ancient Greeks Activity Book'
'The Odyssey'
'Theseus and the Minotaur'
'Tales of Greek Heroes'
Collins
Folens
Kingfisher
Kingfisher
Jump
Museum
Kingfisher Classics
Great Tales from Long Ago
Penguin
THE TUDORS
• Timelines' -video + Teachers guide.
• ' How we used to Live' - video.
• ' Landmarks' -video.
• Longman's 'Sense of History' poster pack.
• Jackdaw resource packs.
• Photographs of Rotherfield Greys Church.
• Sundry worksheets.
Books
2 x 'Tudor Sailors
Wyland Beginning History
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'The Mary Rose'
Elizabeth Cooper
'Mary Rose'
Exhibition Guide
'Life at Sea'
Margaret Rule
'The Spanish Armada'
C. Walter-Hodges
2 x 'Tudors: Facts, Things to make Activities Watts
5 x 'Tudors' -History Insights'
Donna Bailey
4 x 'Tudor Britain'- History in Evidence
Tony Triggs
2 x 'Tudor Towns'
Wyland Beginning History
2 x 'A Sense of History - Tudor and Stuart Life'
Longman
'A Sense of History-Tudor and Stuart Chronicle'
Longman
2 x 'Tudor Farmhouse'
Elizabeth Newbery
5 x 'Tudors and Stuarts'
BBC Factfinders
'Tudor and Stuart Times' + Teacher resource Folens
'History of Britain -The Tudors'
Andrew Langley
'Britain through the Ages -Tudors'
Felicity Hebditch
BRITAIN SINCE 1930.
• 'How we Used to Live' video and activity sheets.
• The Home Front - Tapes of evidence.
• Gas Mask
• ARP Warden's Helmet
• Longman's 'Sense of History' poster set.
• Ration Card
• Time line of the main events of the war - posters.
• Newspapers of the time.
• Interviews of local people.
ANCIENT EGYPT
• Videos - Pyramid, Landmarks + worksheets
• Longmans' 'Sense of History' Poster pack
• Hieroglyphics activity pack
• Sundry work sheets
• Postcards
• Large pictorial chart
• Junior education poster
• 'Ancient Lands' - Microsoft CD-Rom
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Books
13 x Ancient Egypt
'Skeletons and Mummies'
'Ancient Egyptians'
'Scenes from Ancient Egypt'
BBC Fact Finders
Althea
British Museum
British Museum
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AMENDMENT SHEET FOR ALL POLICY STATEMENTS
POLICY ON HISTORY
POLICY NUMBER 7
DATE POLICY RATIFIED;
DATE POLICY LAST REWRITTEN; AUTUMN 1997
Review Date
Page
Line
Amendment
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