History at Mount Stewart Federation

Approach:

At the Mount Stewart Federation, we adopt a structured approach to teaching History from Year 1 onwards, focusing on knowledge-based learning. Our History curriculum ensures robust skills development from Reception through to Year 6. We employ the KAPOW scheme which is tailored to foster a deep understanding of historical concepts, skills, and vocabulary. Our lesson planning integrates key elements of the History National Curriculum.

• Structured, knowledge-based learning approach from Year 1.
• Robust skills development from Reception to Year 6.
• Use of KAPOW scheme, tailored for deep historical understanding.
• Integration of key elements from the History National Curriculum.

Teaching Strategies:

Our educational approach focuses on fostering deep comprehension and enduring memory retention. Key strategies include:

• Retrieval practice to reinforce learning and aid memory recall.
• Interleaving of concepts to strengthen understanding and facilitate the 'knowing more and remembering more' philosophy.
• Expanding on concepts to intensify understanding enables students to formulate their interpretations of events where applicable.

These methods are supported by opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning through book studies, presentations and activities reinforcing key knowledge and vocabulary.

Curriculum Intent:

We aim to inspire our students to become insightful, empathetic, and curious historians. We aim to support pupils in appreciating the complexity of people’s lives, the diversity of societies and the relationships between different groups. This is achieved through a blend of classroom learning and exploration of the local area alongside high-quality teaching. Our curriculum is designed to broaden critical thinking skills, source analysis, and chronology, preparing students for lifelong learning and global citizenship.

•  Inspire students to become insightful, empathetic and curious historians.
• Appreciate the many reasons why people may behave in the way they do, whilst being empathetic.
• Blend classroom learning with local exploration for high-quality education.
• Focus on critical thinking, source analysis, and chronology.

Implementation:

History at Mount Stewart is taught in blocks to ensure depth and clarity in each unit. Furthermore, each unit has a focus on chronology to allow children to explore the place in time of the period they are studying and make comparisons in other parts of the world so that by Year 6, students will have developed a comprehensive understanding of history. We utilise local and London-wide resources, bringing history to life and deepening students' understanding.

• History is taught in blocks for depth and clarity.
• A comprehensive understanding developed by Year 6.
• Use of local and London-wide resources to bring history to life.

Inclusivity and Support:

Our curriculum is designed to be inclusive, catering to the needs of all students, including those with SEND and the most able. We focus on adaptive teaching to maximise each student's potential, offering adapted, targeted support and strategies to promote independent learning.

• Inclusive curriculum catering to all students, including SEND and the most able.
• Adaptive teaching for maximising student potential.
• Targeted support and strategies for promoting independent learning.

Impact:

The impact of our tailored and diverse History curriculum is evident in our students' enthusiastic engagement with history. They enjoy the cultural diversity of our topics and actively participate in historical investigations, enhancing their analytical skills. This engagement is reflected across the curriculum, with students applying their historical reasoning and problem-solving skills in English, Reading, and Science, where possible. The progression of their learning is visible in their growing knowledge and understanding of Britain's past and around the world throughout their school journey.

• Enthusiastic student engagement in history.
• Students enjoy cultural diversity and active participation in historical investigations.
• Application of historical reasoning in English, Reading, and Science, where possible.
• Visible progression in knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and around the world.

Introducing Miss. Hernandez, our History Lead at Mount Stewart Federation, whose enthusiasm for history plays a pivotal role in bringing the past to life for our students and inspiring a deeper understanding of the world's historical narrative.