Humanities

Our Approach to Humanities

The teaching of history and geography enriches our children’s learning as it provides an economic, political, physical, cultural and social context to the to their view of the world. Children should see themselves as an important part of society, an ability to discover and understand cultures and civilisations (past and present) that influence the lives of people, both in their locality around the world, enables them to do this.  

             Geography Curriculum Intent, Implementation, Impact

Intent 

The intent of the geography curriculum is that our children will have a deep understanding of their local environment and the diverse surroundings in the wider world, with appreciation to human and physical characteristics.  

We will deliver a curriculum that: 

• Inspires a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people  

• Equips children with an understanding of diverse places, people, resources and environments around them 
• Allows children to build on prior learning about physical and human processes and the formation and use of landscapes and environments 
• Develops an understanding that the Earth’s features are interconnected and change over time 
• Encourages exploration of their own environment and challenges pupils to make connections between their local surroundings and that of contrasting settlements   
• Use local area and community to develop geographical skills and knowledge  

Implementation 

The Geography programme of study provided by the National Curriculum has been broken down to ensure both progression and coverage across Key Stage 1 and 2. Our Humanities lead, will oversee the coverage of skills of geography across school. They will ensure to monitor, evaluate and review the teaching and learning. In order to do this, learning walks, book scrutinies and discussions with pupils will take place frequently throughout the academic year.  

The teaching, learning and sequencing of the curriculum follows:  

• A geography progression of skills that is organised into four main themes: Geographic and skills fieldwork; locational knowledge; human and physical; and place knowledge for each year group 

• Each theme will be taught explicitly through exciting topics, including links to other areas of the curriculum  
• Fieldwork allowing pupils to explore their local area 
• A teaching sequence that begins with a ‘hook’, builds knowledge and skills and concludes with a reflection including trips and showcases to an audience 
• Continuous CPD for teachers to ensure their skills and knowledge is developed to teach the skills confidently and accurately  

Impact 

• Opportunities for children to explore the outdoor learning environments, both within the school grounds and local community  
• Continued training and support for teachers ensuring they are the experts in the subjects that they teach  
• There will be a clear progression of skills across Key Stage 1 and 2 that builds on prior knowledge that can be demonstrated in books 

• Our children will be confident geographers and be able to clearly discuss their learning from past and current topics, as well as explain their next steps  
• Out-of-class opportunities ensure geography is ongoing and embedded as part of St Margaret Mary e.g. The Planeteers provides children to take responsibility for looking after their environments  

History Curriculum Intent, Implementation, Impact

Intent 

History intends to prepare each student for their next phase of education whilst at the same time giving all students a broad and balanced view of the History of Britain and other societies and epochs. In this, students will develop a well-rounded knowledge of the past and its events, with intention to improve every students’ cultural capital, understanding of the world around them and their own heritage. History at St Margaret Mary aims to be ambitious, and motivating; we aim to be ambitious in our coverage of History and thorough teaching of Historical skills. Further to this, we intend it to be motivating, through engaging activities, trips and visitors that give all students an opportunity to question the past.  

At St Margaret Mary Catholic Primary School, we have designed our History curriculum with the intent that our children will: 

• Become increasingly critical and analytical thinkers 
• Possess a secure understanding of the chronology of the British Isles and other import periods of History 
• To discover links and connections to the History they learn and the wider community and locality 
• Further their knowledge and explanations of change and continuity over time with regards to the history of the British Isles and other societies and epochs 
• Differentiate between source types and explain how interpretations in History may differ  

• Draw on similarities and differences within given time frames and across previously taught History 
• Enquire in to Historical themed questions and form their own opinions and interpretation of the past 

Implementation 

The curriculum is led and overseen by the Humanities lead. As Humanities lead, a regular programme of monitoring, evaluation and review and the celebration of good practice will contribute to the ongoing commitment to evolve and improve further.   

The teaching, learning and sequencing of the History curriculum follows: 

• A timetabled approach has been implemented to ensure coverage and progression in all skills relating to History. Moreover, there is an opportunity at the end of year to revisit Historical skills that need further consolidation and to use new knowledge to enforce prior skills.
• History is treated as its own subject and delivered in such a way. 
• In KS1 the Historical skills will focus on the world around them and their living memory of History before moving to events that go beyond living history. This will ensure a firm foundation for KS2 History. 
• In KS2, the History curriculum is set out in chronological order to allow children to reference the previous events in time and to refer to this prior learning year-on-year and within the year.  
• The progression of skills is set out in order to build and develop the following: 

• Chronological Understanding 

• Knowledge and understanding of events, people and changes in the past 
• Connection and Historical Links 
• Interpretations of History 
• Historical Enquiry 

• Children are taught the sequence of skills and knowledge that are the components to a composite outcome.  

• Lessons will develop long term memory by allowing for repetition of learning within the year and year on year.  
• The use of knowledge organisers are to aid teachers in planning their knowledge and skills and students in understanding the expectations by the end of the unit.  
• Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary is taught within the unit and reinforced throughout the year.  
• SMSC and Citizenship are threaded through the History curriculum to link history to their lives and explore their heritage and cultural capital.  

Impact 

• Children will become increasingly critical and analytical within their thinking. Making informed and balanced judgements based on their knowledge of the past. 
• Children will become increasingly aware of how historical events have shaped the world that they currently live in. 
• They will also have a further understanding of History on a local level and on a small-scale.  
• Children will develop enquiry skills to pursue their own interests within a topic and further questioning. 

• Where applicable, children will have encountered or participated in high-quality visits/visitors to further appreciate the impact of History. 
• Children are to retain prior-learning and explicitly make connections between what they have previously learned and what they are currently learning.