The National Curriculum states that ‘a high-quality history education will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. It should inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past.’
Our aim at Oakdene is to encourage pupils to develop an appreciation and understanding of Britain’s past (including that of our local area) and that of the wider World. Our curriculum encourages pupils to think like historians by asking and answering questions about the past, using a variety of sources to give them an insight into how people around the world used to live and understanding why these interpretations may differ. They will gain an understanding of historical skills: continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity and difference and significance (disciplinary knowledge) and be taught to make links between areas of learning by revisiting recurring historical themes (substansive knowledge). The aim of this is to develop engaged, motivated and curious learners who have pride in where they live and who can reflect on the past and make meaningful links to the present day, turning facts into an historical narrative.
Oakdene's History curriculum has been designed to cover all of the skills, knowledge and understanding as set out in the National Curriculum.
Our History curriculum is organised so that the skills, knowledge and vocabulary is taught in a sequentially coherent way: Chronological Understanding; Knowledge & Understanding of Events in the Past; Historical Enquiry; Historical Interpretation; Organisation and Communication ensure that pupils build on secure prior knowledge.
All learning will start by placing the time period on a timeline and by making links to previous areas studied.
Pupils will be introduced to an enquiry question which is broken down into sub-questions to investigate using historical skills.
Staff will model explicitly the subject-specific vocabulary, knowledge and skills relevant to the learning to allow pupils to integrate new knowledge into larger concepts. This will be made explicit in lessons to support children in the recall of previous learning, making meaningful links between the areas studied and to support them in creating an historical narrative.
We recognise that we have children of differing abilities in History and we seek to provide suitable learning opportunities by adapting the challenge of the task to the child’s ability.
We achieve this in a range of ways:
Setting tasks which can have a variety of responses.
Providing resources of different complexity depending on the ability of the child.
Using Learning Support Assistants to support children individually or in groups.
Organising children in such a way that they receive support from their peers
Providing word mats, prompts or other scaffolds for learning including the use of Widget.
Consistent learning walls in every classroom will provide constant scaffolding for children.
Where possible, a Local History focus will be mapped into the History schemes of work to enable to pupils to appreciate the History of Rainhill and the surrounding areas and to develop a sense of pride in where they live.
Our young historians will be given a variety of experiences both in and out of the classroom, where appropriate, to create memorable learning opportunities and to further support and develop their understanding.
History assessment is formative, to inform teachers with their planning, lesson activities and adaptations. Assessment opportunities are planned for and at the end of a unit of work, staff will make judgements on whether a child is working below or at year group expectations. This information will be placed on Insight as a way of tracking children's progress.
We have developed a curriculum in which children can learn the knowledge and skills of being an historian that are built on year on year and are progressive. The implementation of an enquiry question which is broken down into subsidiary questions, alongside the progression of historical interpretation allows children to ask questions and to develop their curiosity about the past. The strong links in planning to local History have enhanced children’s understanding of the past of the local area and how it fits into the wider picture of British and World History, allowing them to develop a sense of pride in where they come from. Trips and visitors have enhanced children’s classroom learning through being able to examine real artefacts and bringing the stories of people throughout History to life as well as experiencing environments beyond the local area – this enhances their cultural capital and knowledge of the world beyond their local area.
At Oakdene Primary Academy, we are committed to delivering a high-quality history education that enables pupils to develop a coherent understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. Our curriculum is designed to spark curiosity, inspire fascination, and encourage children to ask perceptive questions, think critically, and explore significant people, events, and time periods.
We follow a skills-based, enquiry-led approach that promotes deep thinking and independent learning. Pupils use a range of sources, including artefacts and secondary materials, to investigate and deduce meaning. Our curriculum reflects the expectations of the 2014 National Curriculum, ensuring progression in both historical knowledge and disciplinary skills across all key stages.
At Oakdene, our aim is to instill a lifelong love of history in all pupils. We strive to create an inclusive, ambitious, and engaging curriculum that reflects the diverse backgrounds, cultures, and abilities of our school community.
Our history curriculum:
Encourages enquiry and critical thinking through deep-level questioning.
Develops historical skills alongside knowledge, preparing pupils for future learning.
Covers a broad range of British and global historical events and figures that have shaped the modern world.
Embeds historical understanding within a clear chronological framework.
Promotes cross-curricular links to deepen understanding and contextualise learning.
Ensures progression through carefully mapped curriculum plans from EYFS to Year 6.
To deliver our intent, we:
Follow the National Curriculum to ensure comprehensive coverage of historical knowledge and skills.
Use formative and summative assessment to monitor understanding, address misconceptions, and provide timely feedback.
Engage pupils through immersive experiences, including artefacts, role play, themed environments, and educational visits. Differentiate learning to meet the needs and interests of all pupils, ensuring challenge and support.
Teach Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary explicitly to strengthen historical literacy.
Embed our school values and growth mindset principles throughout history teaching.
Use progression maps to ensure continuity and development of historical skills across year groups.
As a result of our approach:
Pupils enjoy history and are motivated to learn more about the past.
They develop a secure understanding of historical concepts and can apply these across subjects.
Pupils demonstrate critical thinking and can articulate their understanding using appropriate vocabulary and evidence.
Work shows a broad and balanced curriculum with clear progression and cross-curricular links.
Pupils retain key knowledge and make connections between historical periods and themes.
Standards in history are high, with most pupils achieving age-related expectations or greater depth.
Pupils are equipped with the skills and curiosity to continue their historical learning beyond primary school.
This site uses cookies that enable us to make improvements, provide relevant content, and for analytics purposes. For more details, see our Cookie Policy. By clicking Accept, you consent to our use of cookies.