History
Our History Curriculum at a glance
History at Brierley
“History has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.”
Michelle Obama.
Here at Brierley CE Primary, our children work as historians. They examine clues, investigate theories and solve answers to enquiry questions throughout each topic. Each child, regardless of any barrier to learning or additional need, has opportunities to experience the excitement and intrigue that comes with every history lesson; for they are the detectives who can solve the riddles that the past left behind!
Please take a look at some of our work
Our mission is to help each Brierley child to feel strongly connected to our community. We believe that through learning about the past, our children develop a better sense of what our nation has endured and achieved over time. With this in mind, when we teach history, our children learn our British Values in democracy and how it has developed over time, how the rule of law changed to represent our changing societies, how men, women and children learned the significance of individual liberty, and how British people learned the true meaning of religious and cultural tolerance after the two World Wars. Our curriculum is therefore structured to help our children establish a deep-rooted empathy for those who lived in the past by teaching them who our national ancestors were, what they experienced, when and where they lived, how they impacted on our local, national and global history, and crucially, why these people matter to us today.
From the moment they begin their journey with us, our history curriculum will empower our children to make balanced arguments using evidence from sources. Consequently they will leave at the end of year six as accomplished historians, knowing that they matter to the history of Brierley, Britain, and beyond
Exploring the past, how the past has been interpreted by others, and how things have changed over time is at the heart of our provision in history. We understand the range of high-level skills required of our children to be competent learners, therefore we chose to give history the priority it deserves, and teach it as a discrete subject.
We follow the national curriculum in all year groups, while adding a chronological post 1066 study in each year as we believe children’s understanding of how the past has changed over time. What is more, there are opportunities for each year group to explore features of their local history, and engage deeply with their community.
Each unit is underpinned by an enquiry question, the answer to which is built up over the sequence of lessons. In addition, a sub-question is posed at the beginning of each lesson, which means the children are constantly working to find possible answers. As a result, our children begin to think and work like historians, so by the time they leave us in year 6 they understand that the big questions in history have a range of answers.
We use a system of formative assessment throughout each lesson, as this not only enables our teachers to find any gaps in the children’s understanding, but this system regularly enables our teachers to find opportunities to challenge our children even further.
For monitoring of assessment data, we then use the Insight system to input the achievement of each child. This data is stored then reviewed regularly to help teachers review their progress, and is then passed onto following teachers to build upon.
IMPACT STATEMENT
Enhanced History Curriculum at Brierley
The Brierley History Curriculum is a tailored and progressive curriculum designed to cover local, British, and World History from EYFS to Year 6. Thoughtfully selected substantive concepts are interconnected throughout, establishing links across various areas of the curriculum. This approach enables children to gain a profound understanding of each historical topic and its relevance to their lives today.
Comprehensive Geographical Focus
The Brierley History Curriculum offers a wide geographical scope, delving into local histories and the regional diversity of the British Isles. Moreover, it encompasses the study of other global locations and societies. This inclusive approach enhances children's comprehension of how developments in different regions are interconnected and influence the world in which they currently reside.
Ambition within our Brierley Curriculum
At Brierley, children embark on their history education journey in EYFS. The knowledge and vocabulary they acquire, particularly through the 'understanding the world' area of learning, equip them to explore the history content outlined in Key Stage 1 and beyond. Our Brierley History Curriculum not only encompasses the ambitious goals set by the National Curriculum but also strives to surpass these standards. For instance, we go beyond the National Curriculum by offering additional, challenging units. These units are designed to help our students comprehend the profound impact that history has on the contemporary world in which we reside.
Improving Representation in the Curriculum at Brierley School
The historical figures included in our curriculum ensure a balance of focus on both male and female role models. This is aimed at fostering a viewpoint that all people, regardless of gender, have had an impact on our planet and its people.
Improving History Education at Brierley: A Comprehensive Overview
National Curriculum Objectives:
The National Curriculum for History is designed to ensure that all pupils:
- Develop a coherent and chronological understanding of the history of the British Isles, spanning from ancient times to the present, highlighting how people's lives have shaped the nation and its interactions with the global community.
- Gain insights into significant facets of global history, including ancient civilisations, the rise and fall of empires, key characteristics of non-European societies, as well as notable achievements and mistakes made by humanity.
- Acquire and apply a historically accurate comprehension of abstract terms such as 'empire', 'civilisation', 'parliament', and 'peasantry'.
- Grasp historical concepts like continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference, and significance, utilising them to establish links, draw comparisons, analyse patterns, formulate historically pertinent questions, and construct coherent accounts through written narratives and analyses.
- Comprehend the methodologies of historical investigation, including the rigorous use of evidence to substantiate historical assertions, and the ability to identify the reasons behind conflicting arguments and interpretations of the past.
- Attain a historical outlook by situating their expanding knowledge within various contexts, recognising the interplay between local, regional, national, and international history, as well as between cultural, economic, military, political, religious, and social histories, across short- and long-term time frames.
Essential Knowledge for Historians at Brierley:
- Understanding of Major Historical Periods
- Grasp of Fundamental Concepts
- Familiarity with Key Figures
- Knowledge of Pivotal Events
- Proficiency in Chronology
- Understanding of Crucial Aspects of World History
- Awareness of Fundamental Aspects of British History
- Knowledge of Local History
At Brierley, students progress in history by advancing their substantive understanding of the past and by cultivating their disciplinary knowledge concerning how historians explore historical events. They progressively develop a sense of chronology and connect this chronological awareness with broader developments and the distinguishing features of different historical eras. Concepts with nuanced meanings in diverse contexts have been selected to enable students to engage deeply with them initially within the framework of a specific historical period, and subsequently in the context of a historical narrative or argument.