History

At Tetherdown, our aim is to stimulate a curiosity about the past and how it can help fashion the present. Our rounded History curriculum will allow children to gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. Children will gain this knowledge as they progress through the school.

• During the study of History, pupils will perceptively question, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. All children will 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.
• Through the study of history children will gain an understanding of how the subject plays an important role by preparing them with skills which they can use for life by raising their aspirations and understanding how to be good, responsible global citizens and understand change and societal development and a context in which to understand themselves and others.

Our curriculum is designed to develop knowledge and skills that are progressive, coherent and provides generative, substantive and disciplinary knowledge. 

 A big history question is the focus of our planning with a ‘stepping stone’ question at the centre of each lesson enabling all children to build and deepen their understanding of the historical concepts.

This history holistic curriculum is transferable throughout their time at Tetherdown, with other subjects and to their further education and beyond. As a result, helping pupils to understand their world, their role in it and the responsibilities that come with it. Therefore, the curriculum has been designed to ‘think like a historian’: choosing, building, and linking knowledge. 

Our children will:

• Be passionate and motivated about learning history. They enjoy history which is a mix of the human soap opera and the detective story. Teachers aim for the children to have high expectations, love their learning and thirst for knowledge. 
• Our children learn the importance of chronology and how this helps them identify key events which have influenced their lives today. Using historical studies, children develop the skills needed for the future.
• Learn to identify, compare and contrast information by examining a range of historical artefacts, to give justified opinions and reach logical conclusions. Interaction and collaborative learning is at the centre of this process to produce citizens ready for a democratic society in which they feel confident and have the skills to participate.
• Historical outcomes are communicated through drama, film, photographs, and other digital media such as blogs and tweets. Children engage in meaningful and relevant dialogue. It is a starting point for conversations about our world and augmented with 'stories' about real people to keep the history real and contemporary.