History and Geography - Key Drivers Of Enquiry Learning
Central to our ethos of Enquiry Learning lies the deep-seated belief that children can only contribute positively to the future if they have a secure sense of identity and belonging, understand the implications of human activity on the environment, and appreciate that mankind can learn from mistakes made in the past. For this reason, we deploy the Humanities - History and Geography specifically - as potent drivers for our Enquiry Curriculum.
Each term, our 'Big Question' hinges on the exploration of a key historical or geographical theme. Over the sequence of learning opportunities, we aim to capture a snapshot of pupils' knowledge and understanding as a starting point for developing questioning, thinking and reflection. Often, we begin with familiar ideas which resonate closely with a pupils' personal experience in order to make learning tangible. This is usually in the form of a full 'Immersion Day' where children 'live' experiences and examine evidence first hand. By the end of an Enquiry, we aim to have facilitated wider learning so that children have a more global understanding of the concepts being explored. This is rather like the ripples in a pond, moving out from the child at the centre - to the wider reaches of a developing global identity.
At the end of each term, children reflect on the journey of their learning and are regularly 'moved' to respond to a global issue through a performance, a piece of writing with a purpose (often a letter) or by hosting a fundraising event. It is this 'citizenship in action' which demonstrates the extent of their commitment to their learning in History and Geography - subjects which have been made real for them through Enquiry.
History at Tintagel Primary School
A high-quality History education will help pupils to 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 changes 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 the significant aspects of the history of the wider world; the nature of ancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution of empires; characteristic features of past non-European societies; achievements and follies of mankind.
- Gain and deploy a historically grounded understanding of abstract terms such as 'empire', 'civilisation', 'parliament' and ‘peasantry.
- 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, includin 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.
