History

History website information

At Penshurst CE Primary School, we follow the CUSP (Curriculum Unity Schools Partnership) history curriculum, built around the principles of evidence-based practice. The structure is built around the principles of advancing cumulative knowledge, chronology, change through cause and consequence, as well as making connections within and throughout periods of time studied. The children study a broad range of historical themes throughout the year, based on the 2014 Primary National Curriculum. Many topics that children study are based upon the local area; this knowledge is used to compare life in Britain with life in the wider world within similar timeframes, as well as noting the changes in the locality throughout history.

Intent

The intention of our History curriculum is to inspire children’s fascination in learning about the past, facilitated by exceptional teacher instruction that allows the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills.

Implementation

The CUSP History curriculum is organised into blocks with each block covering a particular set of disciplines. Children throughout the school will examine key substantive concepts of history including Civilisation, Community, Knowledge, Power, Invasion and Democracy. At the same time, disciplinary knowledge is embedded, the use of this substantive knowledge and how children construct understanding through historical claims, arguments and accounts.
The CUSP curriculum has been modified to take into account our mixed aged classes and is delivered as a two-year rolling programme.

Impact

A guiding principle of the history curriculum is that children become more historically ‘expert’ with each study and grow a broadening and coherent understanding of the past, ensuring their historical knowledge is not fragmented. Vocabulary, both specific and associated, is taught alongside and within history units. Teachers will use the information gathered through formative assessment to address gaps and to provide additional challenge for children as required and appropriate. This is most effective when done immediately and at the point of learning.

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  History Long Term Plan

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