The History Curriculum

The History curriculum at Chasetown Community School is organised to enable pupils to enjoy learning about and engaging with our own and other cultures, histories, traditions and land. We believe that this will help them become considerate citizens, wider thinkers and help them to develop their organisation and research skills. 

Pupils at Chasetown Community School will develop a sympathetic interest in the lives of others, both from the past and from other societies and groups. They will grow to understand the impact that people’s actions can have on one another and on future generations. This will better equip them to understand their own identity, the identity of their generation, and the privileges and challenges that shape their own lives. 

Pupils will know about and be able to compare significant elements of worldwide history, understanding how social structures and available resources influenced the way people lived in the past. They will learn about significant events and individuals whose influence has drastically altered the lives of those who came after. They will learn about how societies have treated different groups of people and how their beliefs and laws may have changed or impacted our own. 

Pupils will also understand the importance of perspective and context in history. By extension they will learn that their perspective in the present day is only one of many, and with this in mind, they will learn how to thoughtfully select and organise relevant information to support their opinions, as well as accepting that others may have different opinions supported by alternative sources of information. They will develop skills in critical thinking, learning to discern the significant from the irrelevant, and be able to analyse other people’s arguments to find points they agree or disagree with. In later life this will enable learners to consider, make sense of and accept other people’s views in a tolerant and peaceful way. 

Pupils will study History subjects through half-termly topics 

Each History topic will begin with an introduction and a review of what children might already know about the topic. Each half-term, History lessons will begin with a WOW Day to spark interest and enjoyment. This may include an appropriate story, art and design, music, trips, visitors or practical activities. Pupils will be provided with (or assist in creating) a topic sheet which will include subject specific vocabulary. History subjects will be taught in a mixture of discrete and cross-curricular activities. Most topics will involve lessons or skills in each subject in the curriculum at one stage. English lessons will often be linked to the History topic each half-term to allow deeper learning and cross-curricular writing opportunities.  

At the end of each topic, learning and early questions may be revisited.  Pupils will be assessed according to the History progression of knowledge and skills grid and will revisit these skills in other topics throughout the year as well as developing them through their school journey.