Humanities

History

Statement of Intent

Children:

• Build a knowledge and understanding of people, events and contexts
• Learn about local history and link it to global history
• Investigate and interpret the past
• Think critically about history by reflecting, debating, discussing and evaluating the past
• Use Thinking Moves and key concepts across the curriculum.

Full Statement of Intent

The History Curriculum

Charnwood History Timeline 

Our history curriculum has been built to ensure progression through the key stages as well as phases. Key concepts are introduced in early years and are revisited and built upon through their learning journey at Charnwood. For example, a child in Reception will be introduced to the concept of change during their All About Me study. This concept will be revisited and drawn upon during their local study on Schools in key stage 1 and later during their study of the Bronze and Iron Age in upper key stage 2. These key concepts have been woven through our history curriculum to ensure all units of study draw upon prior learning and understanding. These key concepts also enable all learners to follow the lines of enquiry set out within the enquiry based questions. Enquiry questions lead the learning in all of our units of study.

For a detailed justification of our history curriculum please click here.

Follow the link below to view our history curriculum. Local studies can be identified by the Charnwood logo. Key concepts are colour coded for ease of identifying links between key stages and studies. The colour coded stars show links between studies, giving some justification as to the organisation of units. (See curriculum justification document – link above.)

History Curriculum

Geography

Statement of Intent

Through our Geography curriculum we aim to develop both skills and knowledge whilst igniting a passion for and commitment to the subject, with a real sense of curiosity to find out about the world and people who live there.  The curriculum encourages children to investigate places and patterns whilst equipping them with the knowledge to be able to communicate geographically. Children will gain an extensive base of geographical knowledge. With careful links to our reading curriculum, vocabulary is also a priority. Utilising fieldwork across all key stages allows for children to apply geographical skills and techniques within their own locality.

The Geography Curriculum

The geography curriculum, much like the history curriculum, begins centred around the individual child in Early Years building a secure knowledge of their immediate locality as well as an introduction to the world around them. These foundations are then built upon into key stage 1 introducing further concepts and carefully introducing more substantive knowledge. Then progressing into key stage 2, pupils will acquire more complex substantive knowledge whilst drawing upon the substantive knowledge taught in EY and KS1.

Local studies can be seen in the curriculum overview below indicated by the Charnwood logo.

Geography Curriculum

Humanities Implementation

• In Early Years humanities is taught through the Understanding the World strand drawing upon the past and present; people, culture and communities and the natural world. Enquiries are delivered through a careful mix of adult led sessions as well as planned and purposeful provision within the continuous provision where children take independence in their learning and development of humanities completing and recording challenges.
• The long term planning for all key stages ensure all objectives for each year group is cross referenced to the national curriculum and to ensure that their is a clear progression in knowledge and skills. Key concepts are highlighted and built upon throughout the key stages and links between units of study are clear.
• Composite plans written by each year group ensures that the skills are taught and developed each lesson with a clear intent with the aim of answering enquiry based questions. Skills, concepts and knowledge are all built upon each half term and progression can be seen throughout.
• Humanities is timetabled weekly throughout KS1 and KS2. The units of study are delivered as identified in the curriculum overview.
• Geography and History are taught alternative half terms. All objectives are cross referenced to compliment units of study and assessments completed at the end of each half term.
• Opportunities for local studies are carefully planned throughout all key stages. For example, in Early Years local studies begin with the immediate – “all about me” – their world and their families. This then branches out into their immediate community in key stage 1 in studies based around our school and castles. Links are then made to our city of Lichfield in lower key stage 1 through the Saxons study. And in upper key stage 2 the Victorian study is taught through the lens of the industrial revolution in our neighbouring city of Birmingham.
• Teachers encourage children to have a lively, enquiring and imaginative mind with the use of Thinkers Moves. The Thinkers Moves were implemented to deepen questioning and to also provide opportunities for all learner’s to express their understanding.
• Cultural Capital is considered through the implementation of the humanities curriculum. Opportunities are planned for within the curriculum to ensure that all children have the potential to achieve with careful data analysis to ensure barriers to learner are lifted.

Temporary Curriculum 2022 – Autumn

Bringing the Curriculum to Life

In Early Years the Gingerbread Man escaped from our home corner in the classroom. He sent us a letter with some accompanying photographs. We thought back to our Special Places walk in the autumn term to identify the buildings in the photographs and used maps to locate and track the Gingerbread Man’s journey.

Year 2 had a visitor during their local, history unit of study on the Wedgewood family. She shared artefacts found in her family’s garden many years ago. The artefacts shared provided a real insight into the significance of the Wedgewood family to Lichfield.

In Key Stage 2, the children have been lucky enough to share artefacts in the classroom linked to their units of study through links developed with Birmingham Museum and their museum in a box scheme. They have also been involved in workshops for units of study such as the Bronze and Iron Age and the Mayans.