Intent, Implementation and Impact

Intent

We aim for a high quality history curriculum which should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the Britain’s past and that of the wider world. At Clyst St Mary, we want children to enjoy and love learning about history by gaining  knowledge and skills, not just through experiences in the classroom, but also with the use of fieldwork and educational visits.Topics are informed by the national curriculum and are sensitive to children’s interests, as well as the context of the local area. We make full use of resources within the immediate and wider local area enabling children to develop a deep understanding of the rich history of their locality. The history curriculum at Clyst St Mary Primary School is carefully planned, is inclusive for all and is structured to ensure that current learning is linked to previous learning and that the school’s approaches are informed by current pedagogy.

Implementation
 
In ensuring high standards of teaching and learning in history, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school. History is taught as part of the cross-curricular plan, so that children achieve depth in their learning. We have identified the key knowledge and skills in our curriculum and consideration has been given to ensure progression across topics throughout each year group across the school. By the end of year 6, children will have a chronological understanding of British history from the Stone Age to the present day. They are able to draw comparisons and make connections between different time periods and their own lives. Interlinked with this are studies of world history, such as the ancient civilisations of Greece and Egypt.
 
The local area is fully utilised to achieve the desired outcomes, with extensive opportunities for learning outside the classroom embedded in practice such as visits to the Iron Age fort at Killerton and other local places of historical interest.  Planning is informed by and aligned with the national curriculum. Within our knowledge-rich approach, there is a strong emphasis on people and the community of our local area.
 
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) follows the ‘Development Matters in the EYFS’ guidance which aims for all children in reception to have an ‘Understanding of the World; people and communities, the world and technology’ by the end of the academic year.
 

Impact

The main source of impact will always remain the quality and breadth of work seen in pupil’s books and the learning environment. At Clyst St Mary, we are striving to raise the expectation of learners and the quality of work they produce from a rounded and connected curriculum. Impact will  be measured by how effectively it helps our pupils develop into well rounded individuals who  have learnt to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. We want the children to have thoroughly enjoyed learning about history, therefore encouraging them to undertake new life experiences now and in the future.