History - Manor Farm Academy

The history curriculum at Manor Farm Academy is split into four key areas: People and Places, Significant Events, Skills within History and Chronology.

‘People and Places’ includes the study of local history as well as a range of early civilisations, non-European societies and British history.
‘Significant Events’ includes an understanding of events central to British history, awareness of significant historical events within the wider world and an understanding of how these events have shaped modern life.
‘Skills Within History’ includes using sources to find and interpret historical information, making connections between people, places and events studied and using key historical terminology when discussing the past.
‘Chronology’ refers to children developing a secure and coherent understanding of the chronological narrative from the earliest times to the present day. Children develop an understanding of where any time period studied fits within the wider chronological picture of the history of the United Kingdom.

Why do we teach History at Manor Farm Academy?

At Manor Farm Academy, we believe that History plays a vital role in helping our pupils to understand the World that they live in. Lincoln’s and Lincolnshire’s own rich history is a celebrated, motivational and an inspiring feature of our History curriculum. We draw from and make full use of the immediate and wider local area, enabling children to develop a deep understanding of the rich history of their locality, which is built systematically and progressively.

Our History curriculum is the driving force for the themes studied within each year group. These are informed by the national curriculum and are sensitive to children’s interests, as well as the context of the local area. The History curriculum at Manor Farm Academy is carefully planned and structured to ensure that current learning is linked to previous learning and that the school’s approaches are largely practical and experiential. Pupils make visits, work alongside visiting experts and have access to historical artefacts which bring learning to life. The corridor Time Line is an integral feature of chronological understanding for all pupils.

We strive to help our pupils to gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world, which helps to stimulate pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past and to learn from it. We encourage pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh up evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. At Manor Farm Academy History helps pupils to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups. We compare, discuss and debate the historical evidence that we use. History helps pupils to understand the World around them and their own identity. It builds cultural capital.

We will deliver a curriculum that:

Equips pupils with the skills required to work as a historian and conduct a range of historical enquiries.
Builds on the previous year group’s knowledge and skills.
Develops the use of historical vocabulary through teacher modelling and pupil talk.
Encourages pupils to increasingly ask questions and analyse findings from different perspectives and form conclusions.
Celebrates the past and explores how key individuals and themes have shaped our World, both nationally and inter-nationally.
Engages all pupils through the use of inspiring artefacts, stimulating questioning and real life experiences.

What does History look like at Manor Farm Academy?

The Subject Leader for History will lead and monitor, evaluate, review and celebrate good practice.

The History Curriculum will follow the National Curriculum expectations.

History lessons will provide pupils with opportunities to explore a range of historical sources, both primary and secondary in nature.
Pupils will debate the value of historical sources and discuss their nature in terms of reliability.
History lessons will support pupils in understanding the World around them.
The Time Line will play a crucial role in helping pupils to understand chronology. They will link current learning to that which has come before, and anchor this chronologically with its support.

Each unit of learning in History will have:

A pre-assessment which assesses the pupils’ understanding of the objectives and themes being covered in subsequent lessons.
A progressive sequence of lessons, which carefully plans for progression and depth of understanding. This will use AfL from the Pre- Assessment findings.
Opportunities to recap and revisit previously taught themes, and where appropriate, make links that strengthen understanding.
Opportunities to utilise the Manor Farm Question Matrix in order to probe for deeper understanding. Pupils will not only answer questions, but will also formulate their own key questions to steer their learning.
Key vocabulary which is designed to support the development of the pupils as historians.

In addition:

The History Subject Leader will seek appropriate and relevant training and the opportunity to keep developing their own subject knowledge, skills and understanding, so they can support curriculum development and their colleagues throughout the school.