Intent

At Hawthorns, History is taught to provide an opportunity for students to develop their understanding of people and the world around them. It is taught by giving the students practical experiences and learning opportunities within a range of interesting and inspiring of topics. Students will become explorers of the past, including their own past and events and people beyond their living memory.

As all children at Hawthorns have Educational Health Care Plans (EHCPs) inclusion and personalised learning is at the heart of the curriculum across all subjects. Teachers ensure that the planning and teaching of all lessons are relevant, meaningful and matches the needs/abilities of all children. Therefore, it is essential we adapt and personalise the teaching of Historical knowledge and skills to suit the needs of all our children.

History skills and learning start by discovering and exploring the present and their own personal history including times throughout a day or week, moving to past events within the students living memory and then to past events beyond their living memory. Throughout the students will develop the relevant skills to explore the past in greater depth, including investigation, analysis and effective communication.

• Foundation: Me Now.
• Stage 1: Me Earlier.
• Stage 2: Me Then.
• Stage 3: Before Me.
• Stage 4: History Timelines and Ages
• Stage 5: Significant Events and People
• Stage 6: Before All of Us

History skills can be split into three distinct areas: Chronological Understanding, History Knowledge (Facts / Comparing) and Historical Enquiry and Investigation. The curriculum is intended for the students to acquire an understanding of time, events and people by exploring various parts of history including student’s personal history and ancient to modern history.

Implementation

How student experience the History curriculum will vary and depend on the pathway:

First Steps Pathway:

Within the First Steps Pathway, a variety of inspiring and exciting topics are explored throughout the year. These topics will give students various opportunities to explore and understand the past, giving them the foundations to develop historical skills in the future.

Aspire Pathway:

Within the Aspire Pathway classes have topic areas which are rotated bi-annually and changed termly or half termly, and cover a range of subject areas including history.  Historical skills and knowledge will be the primary focus during the topic but by making cross curricular links it will deepen the understanding for the students and give historical topics more relevance and meaning.

Connections Pathway:

Within the Connections Pathway, a variety of inspiring and exciting topics are explored throughout the year including some history specific based topics. These topics are immersive experiences for the students and are used a vehicle to teach core subjects as well as an opportunity to explore and use historical skills and knowledge.

Enrichment Pathway:

Within the Enrichment Pathway, a variety of inspiring and exciting topics are explored throughout the year including some history specific based topics. These topics are immersive experiences for the students and are used a vehicle to teach core subjects as well as an opportunity to explore and use historical skills and knowledge. Additionally, some aspects are taught throughout the year to show the passing of time, including changes in the season and weather, festivals and days the week.

History skills will also be taught within other areas of the curriculum such as:

My Personal Social and Emotion Development e.g.  sequencing pictures of themselves / following visual timetables / celebrating significant festivals throughout the year

My Communication e.g. talking about weekend news

My Thinking and Problem Solving e.g. days of the week / telling the time / sequencing significant events

 Festivals Throughout the Year

Through-out the year there are many celebratory days including Christmas, Easter, Diwali, Chinese New Year. Harvest, Remembrance Day which will provide historical learning opportunities through stories of the past. This will provide an opportunity for history to be taught and experienced through-out the year, not just restricted within the historical topics.

Impact

By the time the children leave Hawthorns School they will:

• Have experienced a wide variety of opportunities to explore different aspects of the History curriculum.
• Improved understanding of the present and past.