At Bournville Village Primary, we value the importance of History in supporting children’s understanding of the world around us and the events and people who have impacted and shaped how we live today in Britain and the wider world. We recognise the importance of exposing children to this journey in order for them to recognise their own place in history and their cultural heritage. Bournville and our own school has a rich and diverse history and lies at the heart of our history curriculum.

Knowing and understanding more about the complexity of people’s lives, the diversity of societies and the relationships between different groups in history supports children in having a greater awareness of challenges over time and tolerance over how we live today.

Within the history curriculum, our intent is to enthuse and develop children’s own historical curiosity and questioning. We want pupils to develop the confidence to think critically, ask questions, and be able to explain and analyse historical evidence. We hope to develop pupils’ understanding of how historians study the past and construct accounts and teach them the skills to carry out their own historical enquiries.  

To prepare pupils for their future learning in History, our curriculum aims to introduce them to key substantive concepts which include civilisations, rulers and leaders, legacy and democracy. Our curriculum also embeds children’s disciplinary knowledge through the concepts of cause and effect, similarity and difference, historical significance, evidence and chronology.

It is intended that when children leave Bournville Village Primary, they will be inspired to find out more about the past. It is our intent that children are able reflect on changes throughout history and form their own opinions and interpretations which will continue to develop through KS3 and beyond. Through history, children are also able to embed our whole school values e.g. respecting the sacrifices of others or the achievements of significant people or groups; having a responsibility as a global citizen that they have their own part to play in history.

By the end of EYFS, pupils will be able to:

• recognise and describe a special time or event.
• speculate why things happen and give explanations about simple cause and effect.
• identify and describe some similarities and differences
• observe and describe how things have changed or stayed the same in their lives
• sequence a few events using language relating to time

By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils will be able to:

• develop an awareness of the past and know where the people and events they study fit within a chronological framework
• make comparisons by identifying similarities and differences between life in different historical periods
• show an understanding of how we know about the past
• describe changes in living memory using historical vocabulary
• recall some significant people from history and events beyond living memory

By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils will be able to:

• develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history, noting connections, contrasts and trends over time
• use the appropriate historical vocabulary to describe change, cause, similarity and difference when discussing significant historical periods, events or people
• understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources
• construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of historical information

At Bournville Village Primary we ensure that all of our children with SEND have the entitlement to  broad, balanced and relevant history teaching.  All teaching and support staff are aware of the National Curriculum Inclusion Statement, and with advice from and the support of the SENCO, class teachers have a good understanding of how best to support each individual child and how to make the History learning accessible for all children. They use a range of strategies to develop the pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills including the use of ICT. Where appropriate, materials are modified or support is provided to enable pupils with SEND to access the learning or the assessment processes. . If possible History content will not be diluted and the child will be supported to achieve the expected learning.

• Instructions and key information will be given clearly so the child understands what is being asked of them and how they will achieve the learning.
• Visual diagrams, pictures or objects/artefacts will be used to support new information.
• New vocabulary may be pre-taught prior to lessons and limited to ensure progress.
• Learned vocabulary will be displayed on working walls and repeated frequently in a variety of different ways.
• Support will be provided for writing/ reading as necessary during independent activities.
• Learning will be fun and creative and not always reading and writing based. Activities like art, drama, film, debate, hands on exploration of artefacts, trips, visitors and games will be used in lessons too.
• Children will be allowed time to discuss the answers to questions with peers and given time to think about questions. Show Me boards will be used to encourage everyone to participate without the need to always answer orally.
• Children will be given opportunities to work in pairs and group.

The teaching, learning and enjoyment of History at BVPS is supported by the Historical Association.

At Bournville Village Primary School we follow the National Curriculum Programme of Study for History.

A full version of the National Curriculum Programme of Study for History can be viewed at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-inengland-history-programmes-of-study

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework (March 2021) can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stageframework--2

https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/forkids/index.shtml

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z7svr82

https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/category/discover/history/