History
Intent
At Valley View, our aim is that children gain a broad understanding of Britain’s past and the wider world through exploring topics which align with our school’s core values. Children will become reflective learners, who will develop a lifelong love for history and will be able to question the world around them, even when it is complex.
Our history curriculum aims to make children community minded with an appreciation for the historically rich area they live in as well as an understanding about how historical events have influenced their own lives today. Our topics reflect diversity and aim to highlight how societies and relationships between different groups of people have changed on a local and global scale over time.
Our aim is that children gain an understanding of democracy and that our history curriculum will enable them to be socially confident citizens. They will learn to speak up for themselves and others through our history topics, as well as learn important life lessons about right and wrong from examples throughout history. We aim that by the end of their time at Valley View, children will understand how history has influenced their lives today and have a passion for the subject which is lifelong.
Implementation
At Valley View, our history is taught through blocks throughout the year. To ensure a consistent approach to the teaching of history across the school, each year group has a long-term plan and unit overviews, which include key knowledge, skills and information for the topic to refer to. These blocks are organised within a progression document that builds upon the children’s previous knowledge and learning within school.
History has been carefully planned in units so that the curriculum is clear, coherent and provides children with opportunities to revisit prior learning and areas of the world throughout their time at Valley View. Children are encouraged to make links and retrieve information previously taught throughout their history lessons in order to deepen their historical understanding.
At Valley View, our history lessons allow children to show curiosity as well as ask questions about historical sources. This occurs through high-quality teaching across age phases. Children will be provided with the opportunity to have access to historical artefacts and historical sites where links are possible. As the school is in a historically rich area, Valley View makes links to our local area throughout our curriculum.
