‘the more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future.’
Theodore Roosevelt
Intent
At Milton Mount, we are HISTORIANS! We want our children to love history. Our aim is that, through the teaching of History, we stimulate all children’s interest and understanding about the life of people who lived in the past. We teach children a sense of chronology, in order to develop a sense of identity and a cultural understanding based on their historical heritage. This enables our children to learn to value their own and other people’s cultures in modern multicultural Britain. We aim to make all children aware of the actions of important people in history and enable children to know about significant events in British history, whilst appreciating how things have changed over time. Through the teaching of history at Milton Mount, it will also ensure our children understand how Britain developed as a society, contributing to their understanding of their country of residence. Furthermore, our children will learn about aspects of local, British and Ancient history. This wider awareness will lead to the children having some knowledge of historical development in the wider world. We believe that by allowing the children to understand the importance and enjoyment of History through different opportunities, they will become enthused learners in History. In History at our school, we will also give children opportunities to develop their skills of enquiry, investigation, analysis.
Implementation
Our ambitious curriculum is built around the principle that children will know more, do more and remember more. History is planned around an overarching question which is broken down week by week in to a series of smaller questions, with links made to other subjects where appropriate. Lessons require children to think deeply in order to answer these questions by applying the skills, knowledge and vocabulary that has been taught. A combination of visitors, trips and a focus on first hand experiences, discussion and children ‘doing more’ ensures exciting and memorable learning experiences for all.
Pre-learning tasks are used by teachers to help shape the learning journey. Skills, knowledge and vocabulary are 
specifically planned for in the line with our whole school history progression so that learning builds upon prior experience towards clearly defined end points.
We have high expectations for all children and in all lessons we make appropriate provision for all our learners, including children with SEND – whether this be through scaffolding and support or through providing greater challenge.
‘Sticky Starters’ are used to support the children in making links to what they have learnt ‘last week, last term, last year and beyond’.
Impact
Our aim is that through the delivery of our history curriculum, children will develop the following skills that we believe to be crucial for future success:
KS1
- An awareness of the past, using common words and phrases relating to the passing of time
- Know where events they study fit within a chronological framework and identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods
- Use a wide vocabulary of everyday historical terms
- Understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented
- Ask and answer questions, choosing and using parts of stories and other sources to show that they know and understand key features and events
KS2
- Develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods studied
- Make connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms
- Construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information
- Regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarities and difference and significance
- Understand how our knowledge if the past is constructed from a range of sources
The impact of this curriculum design will lead children to an outstanding of 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 Milton Mount 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.
