At St. Augustine’s we provide a high quality History curriculum that has been carefully designed and sequenced to enable our children to deepen their knowledge and understanding about the past. History at Saint Augustine’s seeks to help children understand how the past has shaped the present and the world we live in now, and also develop an understanding of how historians investigate the past using a range of sources.

Our curriculum explores British History, Local History and Wider World History and links have been made to significant people throughout History. Our curriculum content is knowledge, vocabulary and experience rich. Trips and Visitors are carefully planned, to engage the children in their learning, develop their knowledge and understanding and to give them the opportunity for first hand experiences. We aim to develop children’s curiosity to know more about the past, their ability to ask questions about the past, make links, analyse evidence, think critically and make informed judgements.

We have designed a bespoke History curriculum which has a clear progression throughout the school, within Foundation Stage we use ‘Understanding the World’ (specifically Past and Present) and for Years 1-6 we use the National Curriculum programmes of study as our guide. At the beginning of each new area of learning the children have the opportunity to share what they already know about the historical era and ask questions that they hope to have answered by the end of their learning linked to the period of History being studied.

Where appropriate we use historical artefacts, visitors, workshops and visits to excite and intrigue our children leading to enquiry, investigation, analysis, interpretation, evaluation and presentation. We also give children the opportunity to carry out fieldwork linked to different aspects of our History curriculum. We aim to give our children as much understanding as possible about what it was like to be around at a particular period in History by having practical and experiential lessons where possible.

Each unit of work is planned carefully, linking high quality texts in children’s English learning where possible. It develops the children’s understanding of chronology and exposes the children to new vocabulary. Children have access to a range of historical texts through the home reading books, Guided Reading books, class reads as well as in class libraries. The school environment will be history rich through displays, resources and vocabulary.

To ensure that pupils develop a secure knowledge that they can build on, our History curriculum is organised into a progression model that outlines the skills that are to be taught in a sequentially coherent way. Chronology, range and depth of historical knowledge, interpretations of History, Historical enquiry and organisation and communication are all mapped out to ensure that pupils build on secure prior knowledge.

After each unit of History completed, assessment will be carried out stating whether children have demonstrated that they are working towards the expected level, at the expected level or greater depth. Within EYFS assessments will identify whether the children are on track or not on track. The impact of this curriculum design will lead to outstanding progress over time across key stages relative to a child’s individual starting point and their progression of skills. Children will therefore be expected to leave St Augustine’s reaching at least age-related expectations for History. Our History curriculum will also lead pupils to be enthusiastic History learners, evidenced in a range of ways, including pupil voice and their work.