Marcus Garvey famously wrote: “A people without knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”

Intent

At Cedar Park School, we believe that history helps children to understand the world they live in, their place within it and how the past has shaped the present. Through our History curriculum, we aim to inspire curiosity about Britain's past and that of the wider world, encouraging children to become thoughtful historians who ask questions, analyse evidence and develop informed opinions.

Our History curriculum, supported by the Developing Experts scheme, provides children with a rich body of substantive knowledge whilst explicitly teaching the disciplinary skills historians use to investigate the past. We want every child to develop a secure chronological understanding of history, recognise significant events, people and civilisations, and understand themes such as invasion, settlement, monarchy, democracy, migration and social change.

Through carefully planned enquiries, children learn to think critically, evaluate a range of historical sources and appreciate that historical interpretations may differ. We strive to build children's cultural capital by ensuring they encounter diverse histories and understand how historical events continue to influence society today, both nationally and within our local community.

Ultimately, we aim for our children to leave Cedar Park with a genuine enthusiasm for history, a strong understanding of Britain's place in world history, and the confidence to question, investigate and make sense of the past.

Implementation

History is taught using the Developing Experts curriculum, which provides carefully sequenced units that build knowledge and historical understanding progressively from Early Years through to Year 6. The curriculum ensures full coverage of the National Curriculum whilst allowing teachers the flexibility to adapt learning to meet the needs of their classes and make meaningful links to our local area where appropriate.

Each unit begins by revisiting prior learning through retrieval activities, enabling children to strengthen long-term memory and make connections with previous historical knowledge. New learning is introduced through engaging historical enquiries that encourage children to ask questions, investigate evidence and think like historians.

Lessons include opportunities for children to:

• develop chronological understanding
• analyse primary and secondary sources
• identify cause and consequence
• recognise change and continuity
• compare similarities and differences across historical periods
• explore historical significance
• understand different interpretations of history

A rich and ambitious vocabulary is explicitly taught throughout every unit. Children are encouraged to use historical language accurately when speaking and writing, helping them communicate their ideas with increasing confidence and precision.

Discussion forms a central part of History learning at Cedar Park. Children regularly explain their thinking, justify opinions using evidence, participate in debates and collaborate with others to deepen understanding.

Learning is evidenced in a variety of ways including written work, discussion, diagrams, timelines, maps, artwork and practical activities. Teachers use ongoing assessment to identify misconceptions and adapt future learning accordingly.

Where appropriate, learning is enhanced through the use of artefacts, historical sources, visitors, workshops, educational visits and local history opportunities, bringing history to life and allowing children to experience the past in meaningful ways.

Early Years Foundation Stage

Historical understanding begins in the Early Years through the Understanding the World area of learning. Children develop an awareness of the past through discussions about their own lives, family history, familiar events and stories.

They begin to recognise the passing of time through daily routines, seasons, celebrations and significant events, whilst comparing similarities and differences between their own experiences and those of people in the past. These experiences provide strong foundations for future historical learning in Key Stage 1.

Impact

At Cedar Park School, we aim for every child to leave as a confident, curious and knowledgeable historian with a secure understanding of Britain's history and the wider world. Through our carefully sequenced curriculum, children develop a strong chronological understanding and are able to make meaningful connections between different periods of history, recognising how the past has shaped the present. They become increasingly skilled at asking thoughtful historical questions, analysing and evaluating a range of primary and secondary sources, and understanding that historical interpretations can differ depending on the evidence available. As their knowledge grows, children confidently use ambitious historical vocabulary to explain concepts such as cause and consequence, change and continuity, similarity and difference, and historical significance. They learn to think critically, justify their opinions using evidence and make informed judgements about historical events and people. Through enriching experiences, local history opportunities and the study of diverse societies and cultures, children develop a greater appreciation of the world around them and the lives of others.

What Does History look like at Cedar Park?

History at Cedar Park begins with a High-5 in which children review the ideas and knowledge mastered in previous units, ready for their development within the new context. This ensures children’s knowledge is both transferred into long-term memory and fresh in their minds as we look to deepen their understanding.

While lessons are planned to ensure clear progression, History lessons are responsive and adaptable, with clear progression in steps between lessons that is driven from the children’s learning and questions around the topic.
 

At Cedar Park, we are passionate in providing a learning environment where a rich and varied use of language develops understanding, broadens vocabulary and expands children’s ability to communicate effectively with others. By making links, where appropriate, to our vocabulary-rich English learning, opportunities are given for children to embed these new words in a range of contexts.

Talk in History is encouraged in all lessons. As teachers, we encourage children to articulate their thinking. This can take many forms: asking questions of others in order to clarify understanding, debate contentious issues, justifying their thinking and responding in full sentences with the intention that everyone understands them.

We use written work, images, artefacts, primary and secondary sources of evidence, as well as a whole range of other techniques and resources, while addressing misconceptions that arise.

Pupils are encouraged to make decisions both independently and collaboratively, working flexibly to answer questions, reflecting on their interpretation of historical evidence. A ‘have a go’ ethos underpins our History learning, which encourages children to share thinking even when unsure and embrace our key behaviours of both perseverance and courage.

Challenge focuses on breadth and depth of understanding and expects the children to apply their knowledge in challenging scenarios, frequently asking children to reason, compare and justify.

Useful Documents & Links