Humanities: History, Geography & the environment

History

Intent:

At Rolls Crescent our History curriculum is designed to develop children’s curiosity and fascination about the world where we believe the high quality history lessons inspire children through the big question and whole school drivers to want to know more about the past and to think and act as historians. We believe at Rolls Crescent that the cross curricular approach with History and the topics is very important for connections and engagement however we fully understand the importance of the history skills that need progression across school and the knowledge led learning aspects as well. Children through their history topics have opportunities to investigate and interpret the past, understand chronology, build an overview of Britain’s past as well as that of the wider world, and to be able to communicate historically.

Our knowledge-based History curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced to ensure pupils acquire key knowledge and skills systemically. Topics have clear progression through the year and previous knowledge is built upon throughout the key stages. The school curriculum overview is based around school values and the 6 half termly drivers of whole school approach where progression is clear. Teachers in history inspire all children and really drive the love of learning and developing future independent learners.

We develop children with the following essential characteristics to help them become historians:

• An excellent knowledge and understanding of people, events and contexts from a range of historical periods, including significant events in Britain’s past.
• All British history is taught in chronological order so children as they go up the school become more and more recent to the current times which also underpins children’s sense of periods, as well as key concepts.
• The ability to think critically about history and communicate ideas confidently to a range of audiences.
• Through P4C, debating and speaking and listening opportunities children are able to challenge their own and others views using historical evidence from a range of sources. As well as discussing and evaluating the past by formulating and refining questions and lines of enquiry.
• The children have a desire to embrace challenging activities including opportunities to undertake high quality research across a range of history topics.
• Children are developing a sense of curiosity about the past and how and why people interpret the past in different ways.
• Our curriculum is adapted for pupils with SEND to ensure they are included and can access the learning. We ensure that they have access to prior learning to ensure they can link previous learning to new learning as well as being able to access the skills and knowledge being built upon in new learning.

Implementation:

Teachers In Rolls Crescent are provided with an additional 12 planning meetings peer year on top of their weekly PPA, to plan their curriculum these come in terms of a planning week every half term where they have one hour on the Wednesday after school and one hour on the Thursday. As part of this planning process, teachers need to plan the following.

• A knowledge organiser which outlines knowledge including vocabulary all children must be able to master by the end of the topic.
• A big question approach where there is a big question and 4-5 sub questions and then the pupil voice section where children have asked question to develop their curiosity which is integrated into the planning and the delivery.
• From this big question approach there will be a cycle of lessons for each subject which is carefully planned for progression and depth.
• Pre and post learning tasks to see the progression they have made within the taught knowledge and skills.
• Challenging questions for pupils to apply their learning in a philosophical/open manner.
• Trips and visiting experts who will enhance the learning experience.

Impact:

Our History curriculum at Rolls Crescent is of a high quality, well throughout and is planned to demonstrate progression. If children are keeping up with the weekly lessons and the overriding curriculum they are deemed to be making good progress. In addition, we measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods.

• A reflection on standards achieved against the planned outcomes (post task)
• Formative assessment based on where the children are up to against the expected standard of skills and knowledge for the topic.
• Celebration of learning for each half term against the school driver for that half term.
• Pupil voice about history and the curriculum.

Geography

Intent:

At Rolls Crescent our Geography curriculum is designed to develop children’s curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. As pupils progress, their growing knowledge, connection and understanding of the world and their place within it will help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments.

Our knowledge-based Geography curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced to ensure pupils acquire key knowledge and skills systemically. Topics have clear progression through the year and previous knowledge is built upon throughout the key stages. The curriculum knowledge is planned sequentially, starting from development matters in EYFS and continuing throughout the school to Year 6. Teachers build upon their prior knowledge, embedding it in their long-term memory to allow children to become successful learners and develop an interest and enthusiasm for geography as they move through the school and into the next stage of their learning.

We are committed to ensuring our pupils gain a deeper knowledge of and connection to their local area as well learning about the wider world, including countries they or their family have lived in as Rolls Crescent serves a vibrant and diverse community. There are a large majority of pupils who have links to other parts of the world with a high percentage of our pupils speaking English as an additional language and are currently 36 different languages spoken within our school.

The cultural capital of our children is important to us so we ensure to widen our pupils’ experiences through creative and enriching lessons, including opportunities for outdoor learning, going on trips, meeting visitors and using ICT links. The large majority of our pupils have low communication and language skills on entry and therefore oracy and vocabulary acquisition are a key priority which is why in addition to widening our pupils’ experiences we present the key vocabulary within our Geography knowledge organisers and on classroom displays.

EYFS

In EYFS children develop their knowledge of their immediate environment by observing and listening. This includes stories, non-fiction texts and maps. They will have hands on experiences that deepen their understanding, such as visiting a local area as well as the school grounds. They link RE and Geography when discussing religious and cultural communities in this country. They will also study life in a different country and discuss some differences and similarities.

Implementation

The primary geography curriculum aims to inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people. It is designed to provide children with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources, and natural and human environments, alongside a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. Through carefully planned lessons, students explore geographical concepts that build on their understanding of location, place, and environment. We employ a variety of teaching strategies including interactive map work, field trips, and the use of technology such as digital mapping tools to create a stimulating and engaging learning experience. Our geography program integrates cross-curricular links, particularly with history, computing, and mathematics, to ensure a holistic understanding of both physical and human geography. Topics are sequenced to ensure cumulative knowledge acquisition, starting with local geography and expanding to national and global scales. Assessment for geography is ongoing, formative, and embedded in daily teaching. Teachers assess pupils through observations, discussions, and retrieval quizzes that check for understanding. The curriculum is also designed to be inclusive, ensuring all learners, regardless of background or ability, can engage with the content and develop a deeper appreciation for the world around them.

 A knowledge organiser which outlines the knowledge for the half term.

• Geography topic is taught through the big question driver.
• From this big question approach there will be a cycle of lessons which is carefully planned for progression and depth.
• Challenging questions for pupils to aid the application of their learning in real life situations.
• Golden threads are planned throughout school for teachers and children to refer back to. This allows the opportunity for metacognitive retrieval practice from EYFS to Year 6. This will allow children to learn more and remember more over their time at Rolls Crescent Primary School.

Impact

The impact of our primary geography curriculum is evident in the confident, informed, and curious learners it produces. Pupils develop a strong understanding of key geographical concepts, including the relationship between physical and human processes, and how they shape environments and communities. Students who engage with the curriculum demonstrate enhanced skills in critical thinking, spatial awareness, and problem-solving. They become more empathetic and responsible global citizens who appreciate cultural diversity and understand global issues such as climate change and sustainability. Furthermore, pupils are able to articulate their learning confidently, using geographical vocabulary and tools effectively to interpret maps, data, and the world around them. By the end of their primary geography education, students will have a solid foundation for further geographical study in secondary education and an informed perspective on the world's dynamic landscapes and cultures.

In addition, we measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods.

• A reflection on standards achieved against the planned outcomes (post task)
• Formative assessment based on where the children are up to against the expected standard of knowledge for the topic.
• Celebration of learning for each half term against the school driver for that half term.
• Pupil voice about Geography and the curriculum.
• Children will be able to retrieve knowledge from previous years in relation to the Golden Threads.

• Golden Threads Definitions download_for_offline
  download_for_offlineGolden Threads Definitions
• Golden Threads LTP download_for_offline
  download_for_offlineGolden Threads LTP