History

History subject coordinator – Mrs Baker

Intent

At Moat Farm Infant School, we use a scheme called Kapow to teach history. This History scheme of
work aims to inspire pupils to be curious and creative thinkers who develop a complex knowledge of
local and national history and the history of the wider world. We want pupils to develop the
confidence to think critically, ask questions, and be able to explain and analyse historical evidence.

We aim to build an awareness of significant events and individuals in global, British and local history
and recognise how things have changed over time. History will support children to appreciate the
complexity of people’s lives, the diversity of societies and the relationships between different groups.
Studying History allows children to appreciate the many reasons why people may behave in the way
they do, supporting children to develop empathy for others while providing an opportunity to learn
from mankind’s past mistakes. We aim to support pupils in building their understanding of chronology
in each year group, making connections over periods of time and developing a chronologically-secure
knowledge of History.

We hope to develop pupils’ understanding of how historians study the past and construct accounts
and the skills to carry out their own historical enquiries.

For EYFS, the activities allow pupils to work towards the Understanding the world Development
matters statements and Early learning goals, while also covering foundational knowledge that will
support them in their further history learning in Key stage 1

Implementation

In history, we learn through enquiry and children are encouraged to behave like historians. They have
access or are shown real artefacts, secondary sources such as photographs, non-fiction books for
research, videos and the internet. Children use these to help them ask questions, investigate and draw
their own conclusions about things that have happened in the past. After the topic has been taught it
is revisited for quizzes and discussions. Also, children are encouraged to investigate topics at home
with their families via homework.

The Kapow scheme follows the spiral curriculum model where previous skills and knowledge are
returned to and built upon. For example, children progress by developing their knowledge and
understanding of substantive and disciplinary concepts by experiencing them in a range of historical
contexts and periods.

Impact

By the end of EYFS pupils will demonstrate the following:
• Talk about the lives of the people around them and their roles in society
Can they talk about their families? Who they are? What they do?
• Know some similarities and differences between things in the past and now, drawing on
their experiences and what has been read in class;
How were the lives of their older family members different?
• Understand the past through settings, characters and events encountered in books read in
class and storytelling.

By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils will demonstrate the following:
• Be able to recall significant historical events, people and how they are different to life today.
• Be able to explain changes in living memory, with a focus on how aspects of national life
have changed.
• Be able to explain and discuss events beyond living memory that were significant both
nationally and globally.
• They should know where the people and events they study fit within a chronological
framework and identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different
periods.

Last year in EYFS:
87% of children met the expected standard for Past and Present.
Last year in Key Stage One
95% of children met the expected standard for History.

Non-negotiables for History

• In KS1, topics in history are led with a main key question. At the end of each topic, children should be given the opportunity to reflect on what they have learned and the answer to their key question.
• We all learn about events from the past and significant people in history.
• The learning ladybird is shared with the children at the beginning of every lesson.
• In KS1, history is documented in floor books. For individual work, each child has their own history book in year 1, this goes up with them to year 2 so children and staff can reflect on prior learning.
• In EYFS, learning is captured in class floor books, these are labelled as understanding the world. Individual incidentals during play are captured in learning journeys.
• Specific history vocabulary should be evident on working walls where appropriate.
• We all provide children with SEND access to the curriculum through adapted planning and resource support.
• In KS1, children consolidate learning in every history session by including a retrieval quiz at the start.
• Teachers assess their children every term.

End of Key Stage expectations for History

By the end of EYFS pupils will demonstrate the following:
Children at the expected level of development will:
• Talk about the lives of the people around them and their roles in society
Can they talk about their families? Who they are? What they do?
• Know some similarities and differences between things in the past and now, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class;
How were the lives of their older family members different?
• Understand the past through settings, characters and events encountered in books read in class and storytelling.

By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils will demonstrate the following:
• Be able to recall significant historical events, people and how they are different to life today.
• Be able to explain changes in living memory, with a focus on how aspects of national life have changed.
• Be able to explain and discuss events beyond living memory that were significant both nationally and globally.
• They should know where the people and events they study fit within a chronological framework and identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods.

Books that inspire history – Click one to enjoy