History and Geography
History
What is history and what do we teach your children?
History at Broseley is about taking advantage of the significance of our local area and also other parts of the world. It is about looking at the more recent past (in living memory) and also going further back, sometimes thousands and thousands of years. Most importantly though, it is not about seeing these as separate periods and events but how all these themes/topics sit together on a timeline, often with overlaps and common aspects.
Because of this, it is important for the children to learn about the past with 6 key concepts in mind: Cause and Consequence; Similarity and Difference; Perspective and Empathy; Significance; Continuity and Change; and Interpretation and Contestability. This means that, as they move through school from Reception to Year 6, they can build their understanding by creating links between the topics and themes they have learnt about.
Our long term plan for history ensures that children are exposed to and learn about history from most periods and most parts of the world and it also ensures that there is an even coverage of the historical concepts.
As well as learning about events and people from the past and linking these to historical concepts, we also ask the question; ‘What would a Historian do?’ as a way of getting children to think about history as something that is still being discovered and understood. Understanding how we learn about the past is just as important as learning about it so we aim to give children a chance to ask and answer their own questions. This is done through the exploring of artefacts, primary written sources (such as letters, diaries and newspapers), secondary sources (such as text books and websites) and visits to museums and important historical sites.
How do we teach your children?
At the start of a new theme/topic children complete a WDYTYK (What Do You Think You Know?) activity to see whether the children have any existing knowledge. They are encouraged to express what they ‘think’ and also what they think a historian would do to find out. This activity helps the teacher to plan specific lessons that may address a common misunderstanding or misconception.
For each History theme/topic that we teach, a knowledge organiser has been created that contains some of the key knowledge that we want the children to gain. These are posted to Class Dojo at the beginning of each theme/topic so that you can see what the children will be learning about.
History lessons at Broseley will usually begin by using these knowledge organisers to ‘quiz’ the children. After that, there will be a series of lessons based around the knowledge, concepts and enquiry skills linked to each theme/topic. Mid way through the series of lessons, children may take part in a mid-point quiz and at the end of the lessons they will complete an assessment. This assessment includes repeating the WDYTYK activity but with an alternative title WDYKN (What Do You Know Now?) and either, an end of unit quiz, slideshow, essay or presentation depending on the age and ability of the child. This assessment will then be used to create a whole class target based on the most common misunderstanding that can be re-taught or revised later.
Geography
Intent
At Broseley C of E Primary School, our children will observe, describe, and seek explanations as to why the world is as it is. Our geography curriculum allows our students to develop a range of geographical knowledge and vocabulary which enables them to know where places are local, nationally, internationally and globally, also enabling them to discuss human impacts on physical processes and vice versa.
Knowledge of local, national, and global geography enables children to understand the challenges of our own time with a specific school focus on sustainability, equality, and empowerment: engaging pupils in questions about people and locations that are both similar and different to their own experience and helps pupils to understand the present and prepare them for their future as a thriving global citizen.
We intend to bring geography alive through explicit teaching and experiential learning that inspires in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the physical and human world that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.
Pupils will have the knowledge about diverse places, people, resources, natural and human environments, and the complex relationships between them and understand the importance of becoming global citizens and creating a fair and sustainable world.
Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features are shaped, interconnected, changed, and preserved over time.
The fundamental questions we are seeking answers from are:
- Where is this place?
- What is it like?
- How and why is it changing?
- How does this place compare with other places?
How and why are places connected?
The programme of study for geography states that, ‘Children should develop a contextual knowledge of location globally; they understand the processes that that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world; and are competent in geographical skills, this will enable them to:
- Collect, analyse and communicate a range of gathered experiences.
- Interpret a range of geographical sources such as maps, diagrams etc.
- Communicate using geographical information in a variety of ways.
At Broseley C of E, our geography curriculum builds a strong foundation of knowledge and skills through an approach that teaches both the substantive knowledge and disciplinary skills that pupils will need. Pupils are taught to approach their learning as a geographer. Both the knowledge and skills build sequentially as pupils move through the school and are expertly mapped to ensure that pupils can make links with what has already been taught.
Within the geography curriculum, pupils are taught subject specific vocabulary and are able to use this expertly within their explanations, giving them the cultural capital they will need to be a responsible global citizen.
The outcome will allow them to clearly articulate well-formed questions and answers in addition to evaluating information about the people and place that they study. The geography curriculum at Broseley C of E is diverse and ensures that all parts of society are represented in the people and places that are studied.
Our aim is to empower our children so they can aspire to become an expert in the study of geography – if they choose to.
Implementation: How is Geography taught at Broseley C of E?
The curriculum is carefully sequenced to ensure that pupils build on the knowledge and skills they have been taught. In addition to this, the key themes of sustainability, equality, and empowerment are threaded throughout the curriculum from Reception to Year 6. Additional short units, relating to The Seven Wonders of the World (natural and modern), are used not only as a means to feed our children’s curiosity but to build their cultural capital.
Geography in EYFS
In the EYFS, geography is included in the ‘Understanding the World’ education program, which focusses on children making sense of their physical world and their community. Geography in the EYFS revolves mainly around first-hand experiences/visits and listening to a broad selection of texts (fiction, non-fiction, poetry and rhymes). It is also of great importance that children’s experiences outside of school are shared and discussed as part of this. Their use of Forest School is also essential in knowing how to look after the environment and live sustainable lives. In short, Geography in the EYFS is done through exploration, observation, experience, and discussion. Children are then able to express their knowledge and understanding verbally, through creativity, during structured play and through continuous provision.
Support for Pupils with SEND
At the beginning of each unit of work, key pieces of knowledge for the unit are selected and work takes place to ensure that pupils with SEND are retaining and building on this. In addition, scaffolding ensures that pupils can meet the same learning objective as their peers.
Assessment
At the beginning of a unit, children will complete a mini assessment based on substantive knowledge about the subject. This will be administered again at the end of the topic as a measure of progression in this learning domain. At the beginning of each les pupils either complete a ‘knowing more and remembering more’ task which assesses the knowledge they have retained from previous lessons, or they use knowledge organisers to self or peer quiz. Teachers use the outcome from the task to support pupils who may have gaps in their knowledge. Children use the outcome of their self and peer quizzing to revise any gaps at home.
At the mid and end point of the topic, pupils complete a quiz which comprises of several questions linked to the learning within the unit. Teachers use the quiz outcomes to support pupils who may have gaps in their knowledge.
The sequence of learning ends through assessment using a ‘Big Question,’ Children will answer this question using either substantive or disciplinary knowledge in the form of an essay or a double page spread. Essays are the preferred method for our older children in preparation for the expectations when studying geography in secondary school and beyond.
Children record their learning and assessments within their geography book. This book is passed on to the next year group teacher. The next teacher can use the assessment outcomes from the previous unit/year to plan for consolidation of knowledge and plan for next steps to ensure maximum retention of knowledge and progression.
Impact
Regular learning sessions show that pupils are confident and able to talk knowledgeably about what they have learned in geography using subject specific vocabulary. The pupil voice discussions show that pupils greatly enjoy geography and can recall their learning and knowledge over time, making links between units of work. Lesson observations also triangulate this. Work in pupil exercise books demonstrates that geography is taught at a high standard across the school with opportunities for pupils to work at a greater depth. As a result, pupils make sustained progress across both key stages. Work is of high quality, with pride taken and demonstrates pupils are acquiring knowledge, skills, and vocabulary in an appropriate sequence.
Geography Progression of Knowledge and skills