History in the Primary Curriculum:learning from the past, preparing for the future

Michael Maddison HMI

National Lead for History, England

National Forest Teaching Schools

National Curriculum Project

National Memorial Arboretum ; 20 May 2014

Outline

History in the Primary Curriculum:

learning from the past, preparing for the future

What do we know about the effectiveness of history in schools?

What does inspection tell us are the components and characteristics of highly effective history?

What do we need to think about as we plan for the future?

National scene: What do we know about the effectiveness of history in primary schools?

Overview: a mixed picture – a successful subject in school but under pressure and some significant aspects in need of improvement

Early Years – in the best settings ..

children made good progress in understanding the passage of time and how things change over time

children listened to stories that introduced people from the past

teachers provided numerous opportunities for the children to use the correct language, such as ‘yesterday’ and ‘past’, and look at the differences between ‘long ago’ and ‘now’.

As a result, children became more confident in:

asking questions about artefacts making suggestons what they might be used for making accurate comparisons between modern and

old objects.

By the end of Key Stage 1 –in the best lessons .. pupils were able to recount stories accurately and to

suggest why people and events were important.

they had a good understanding of the importance of basing their ideas on evidence.

they were provided with opportunities to handle artefacts, ask questions about them and consider how they might also find out the answers.

in effect, they were developing those vital historical skills of:

investigating questioning hypothesising.

As a result, they could reflect on the significance of what they had learnt and could be thoughtful and perceptive in their thinking.

By the end of Key Stage 2 – in the best lessons pupils ..

could evaluate a range of historical sources

make perceptive deductions about the reliability of sources

had gained an understanding of change and continuity

understood the significance of people in a wider historical context

could identify anachronism

were aware of different views about the events they had studied

used historical terms accurately

could make pertinent and valid comparisons between periods.

‘Well, it depends if you were rich or poor’ (Year 4)

Primary successes

Pupils’ attitudes to history were good or better – they

enjoyed their lessons regarded history as fun were well motivated were determined to learn something new and to succeed.

Where history was thriving, pupils were

developing a good knowledge of historical topics acquiring a detailed understanding of the past developing their historical thinking by learning to and

refining the way they: research evidence and ask questions draw conclusions and communicate findings.

Primary Concerns

Pupils’ knowledge is episodic

The KS2 curriculum is episodic

Pupils’ chronological understanding is increasingly variable

Pupils’ ability to make links across the knowledge they have gained is weak

Teaching has become increasingly variable

Pupils appear to be studying less history

In some schools the growth of a cross-curricular framework is diluting the subject’s identity

Actions for you: Focus on developing pupils’ chronological understanding develop closer links with your neighbouring primary and secondary schools

The lessons of inspection

Historical knowledge is important

In the last three years, teaching in history has become more variable

Too many pupils’ chronological understanding is not good

Pupils have better knowledge and make better progress when history is taught as a discrete subject, with links made to other subjects as appropriate

The most effective subject pedagogy, ensuring high achievement in history, was shown by teachers whose approach focused on well-structured enquiry, which helped pupils think for themselves

The best learning in history took place when the teaching developed pupils’ historical knowledge and historical thinking and, as a result, enabled them to show their historical understanding

Highly effective teaching and learning in history Subject expertise

knowledge dynamic subject why history matters why topics are worth studying

Learning

rigorous historical enquiry Historical thinking & understanding

Historical thinking = ability to investigate, consider, reflect and review the events of the past

Assessment

enabling teachers to refine their practice and pupils to build securely on prior learning

The constituents of highly effective teaching and learning

Ofsted, 2010; revised April 2014

Resources

History survey visits

Generic grade descriptors and supplementary subject-specific guidance for inspectors on making judgements during visits to schools

Case Study: Developing historical thinking

Context: a group of pupils in Years 2 and 3 were studying the diary of Samuel Pepys.

Discussion: when asked how they would deal with another diary which told them something different, their response was unequivocal.

Year 3 pupil: ‘That’s ok’, because we would be able to check what Samuel Pepys had written’.

Another pupil added, ‘We would have another point of view. You know someone who perhaps lived in another part of London and so lived life differently’.

Fox Primary School, London

Case Study:Developing historical thinking – Fox Primary School

Context: Pupils in Year 5 were using different types of evidence when studying Victorian times.

Discussion: focused on the reliability of the sources. They were acutely aware that a contemporary painting had to be treated with care because ‘the people who painted this got paid so they might have made it look better than it really was’.

Preparing for the new National Curriculum from September 2014:

Long Term Planning

The new National Curriculum for history, 2014

Key Stages 1 and 2

From September 2014

Purpose of study

A high-quality history education will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world.

It should inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past. Teaching should equip pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement.

History helps pupils to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.

Aims

The national curriculum for history aims to ensure that all pupils:

know and understand the history of these islands as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day: how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world

know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution of empires; characteristic

gain and deploy a historically grounded understanding of abstract terms such as ‘empire’, ‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and ‘peasantry’

Aims - continued

understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance, and use them to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame historically-valid questions and create their own structured accounts, including written narratives and analyses

understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed

gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history; and between short- and long-term timescales.

Attainment targets

By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the programme of study.

Subject Content KS1 - preamble

Pupils should develop an awareness of the past, using common words and phrases relating to the passing of time.

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.

use a wide vocabulary of everyday historical terms. ask and answer questions, choosing and using parts of

stories and other sources to show that they know and understand key features of events.

understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented.

Subject Content KS1

changes within living memory. Where appropriate, these should be used to reveal aspects of change in national life

events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally [for example, the Great Fire of London, the first aeroplane flight or events commemorated through festivals or anniversaries]

the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements. Some should be used to compare aspects of life in different periods [for example, Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria, Christopher Columbus and Neil Armstrong, William Caxton and Tim Berners-Lee, Pieter Bruegel the Elder and LS Lowry, Rosa Parks and Emily Davison, Mary Seacole and/or Florence Nightingale and Edith Cavell]

significant historical events, people and places in their own locality.

Subject Content KS2 - preamble

Pupils should continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.

They should

note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms.

regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.

construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information.

understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.

Subject content KS2

British history from earliest times to 1066

changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age the Roman Empire and its impact on Britain Britain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots the Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England to the

time of Edward the Confessor

a local history study

a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066

the achievements of the earliest civilizations – an overview of where and when the first civilizations appeared and a depth study of one

Ancient Greece – a study of Greek life and achievements and their influence on the western world

a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history

Subject content KS2

a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066

Examples (non-statutory)

the changing power of monarchs using case studies such as John, Anne and Victoria

changes in an aspect of social history, such as crime and punishment from the Anglo-Saxons to the present or leisure and entertainment in the 20th Century

the legacy of Greek or Roman culture (art, architecture or literature) on later periods in British history, including the present day

a significant turning point in British history, for example, the first railways or the Battle of Britain

Curriculum Planning in History

Curriculum Planning: History

How are we going to structure our curriculum so that we strengthen teaching in history and improve pupils’ historical knowledge and understanding, including their chronological understanding?

What will your KS1 and 2 curriculumoverview look like? http://www.history.org.uk/resources/primary_news_2040.html

Autumn Term 1

Autumn Term 2

Spring Term 1

Spring Term 2

Summer Term 1

Summer Term 2

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Some points for you to consider – part 1:

what to teach in history and when to teach this content

how best to teach this content to develop pupils’ historical knowledge, understanding (including chronological understanding) and thinking

how to ensure you have the requisite subject knowledge and access the most useful and age-appropriate resources

how best to fulfil the expectations of the local history study

how best to develop a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066

Some points for you to consider – part 2:

how best to fulfil the breadth of the stated aims and the preamble summaries of what pupils should know, do and understand at each key stage

the most effective teaching and learning strategies to ensure that pupils have the opportunity to examine cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social aspects

how to enrich the curriculum and make best use of the heritage opportunities which are available within the locality

how best to fulfil the requirements of the attainment target

how best to avoid repetition in mixed aged classes.

Some points for you to consider – part 3:

Remember:

Why are we teaching, what we are teaching, how we are teaching it, when we are teaching it?

What do we want pupils to know, do and understand at the end that they didn’t know, couldn’t do and didn't understand at the beginning?

‘We like history because we have to think for ourselves and

give reasons for our opinions’ (Year 5 pupil)

‘History stops people believing rubbish’ (Year 8 student)

‘History has taught me to read between the lines’ (Year 11 student)

make history … accessible

meaningful

coherent

achievable

And never forget …

National Lead: michael.maddison@ofsted.gov.uk