History and Geography across the Year Groups
History
Where we are with History:
In Autumn 1, History has become the first ‘driver’ subject of the academic year for all year groups. With a focus on the acquisition of key skills which are layered and progressive both within units and across year groups, the Curriculum Lead and Subject Leader have strived to develop our learners as ‘historians’. The learners have developed their understanding of chronology, historical enquiry and interpretation in all year groups and are beginning to talk about their learning in terms of both skill development and acquisition in addition to key knowledge and the use of appropriate historical vocabulary.
All classes have produced wonderful displays which showcase learners’ understanding of both the knowledge and skill acquisition. These are a natural progression from the working walls within classrooms which make explicit the key enquiry question for the unit; layering of skills throughout the unit; key knowledge as the learning develops; key vocabulary; evidence of learners understanding through comments about their learning and pre and post assessment evidence of learner understanding. Learners are beginning to see themselves as historians. They are beginning to understand what a good historian at our school looks like, what they sound like when they are talking about their learning and how a historian feels as part of their role. The profile of history is raised across school.
Teaching staff have been provided with clear planning documentation from the Curriculum and Subject Lead to ensure that the sequence and progression of knowledge and skills is appropriate and what our learners need. As a result, staff knowledge and understanding of the historical skills is being developed and ensures they have the tools and modelled examples to provide our learners with the very best support.
How we are developing History:
To a skills and knowledge based spiralled curriculum. Skills and knowledge are layered, sequenced and progressive, allowing our learners to build upon skills throughout their learning journey at Lomeshaye.
Opportunities to develop the skills of historical enquiry and interpretation through the use of and exposure to historical artefacts.
Use the National Curriculum to sequence the curriculum in chronological order, taking into consideration which year groups will have more units to teach. Learners will be able to deepen their understanding of chronology as they progress through Key Stage 2. They will also be able to make strong and meaningful links between prior learning because they will be able to talk about how periods of history are sequenced. As a result of the curriculum being sequenced, teachers will be aware of prior learning and will be able to refer to this.
Curriculum Focus
Autumn Term 1 saw a whole school focus on History here at Lomeshaye, developing skills in chronology, historical enquiry and historical interpretation. Most year groups have had the opportunity to handle artefacts to develop these specific skill strands of historical enquiry and interpretation in order to develop as historians.
Displays showcasing historical knowledge and acquired skills...
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Geography
Where we are with Geography:
In Autumn 2, Geography will form as a driver for the first time this academic year in Years 3 and 4. We have worked on the Geography curriculum for Lomeshaye to ensure that learners are exposed to meaningful and layered learning that is age appropriate and builds on prior learning. The Geography Lead has reorganised the curriculum to ensure that National Curriculum coverage is fully covered across the Key Stage and makes strong links to other subject areas wherever possible. Here is an example to show this:
In Year 3, the initial unit on volcanoes and earthquakes compliments prior learning in History and Science where learners studied ‘Rocks’ in Science and ‘Stone Age to Iron Age’ in History. This carefully considered mapping of learning, is allowing our learners to develop and their sticky knowledge in different contexts to further enhance learning. Later in the year, Year 3 will focus on a UK study (Lake District) which will develop their skills as geographers from a locality level at Key Stage 1, to a UK study.
With a focus on the acquisition of key skills which are layered and progressive both within units and across year groups, the Curriculum Lead and Subject Leader have strived to develop our learners as ‘geographers’. Our focus has become much tighter to ensure we are setting clear expectations as to the skills and knowledge learning after each unit rather than end of year expectations.
Teaching staff will be provided with clear planning documentation from the Curriculum and Subject Lead to ensure that the sequence and progression of knowledge and skills is appropriate and what our learners need. As a result, staff knowledge and understanding of the geographical skills is being developed and will ensure they have the tools and modelled examples to provide our learners with the very best support. Ensuring our staff feel confident and passionate about the delivery of this subject is a key priority and will be supported by clear direction from the Curriculum Lead and Subject Lead.
How we are developing Geography:
To a skills and knowledge based spiralled curriculum. Skills and knowledge are layered, sequenced and progressive, allowing our learners to build upon skills throughout their learning journey at Lomeshaye.
Fieldwork will be specifically mapped out and planned for to ensure this strand of Geography is developed as this is something our learners have a poorer understanding and experience of.
Ensuring that the stands of Locational knowledge, Place knowledge, Human and Physical Geography and Geographical Fieldwork is taught and learning across the strands layered within each year group and between year groups.
We aim to develop our learners’ ability to talk like ‘Geographers’ and refer to both the skill and knowledge the have acquired over time. We aim to have learners who can talk confidently about their learning over a series of lessons and to demonstrate the sticky knowledge and use geographical vocabulary appropriately and in context.
All classes to ensure they have a Geography working wall when studying the subject which will provide learners with clear progression of the skills and where they are on the sequence of lessons; key vocabulary; key knowledge to be learnt in the unit; examples of the skills and knowledge layered up through examples of learning in the lessons; evidence of learning from children through what they can verbalise.