Our Vision for History at Cranford Park CE Primary School
“We are not makers of History, we are made by History.”
Martin Luther King Jr
At Cranford Park CE Primary School History is active. Children are ‘detectives’ looking for clues and evidence to find out about their past and how we have come to be as we are now. Over time, children develop a love of History, a natural curiosity about their heritage and an understanding of how life came to be as it is today.
In lessons, teachers use a range of resources to bring learning to life, including audio and video clips, images, first and second-hand accounts and artefacts, A range of practical experiences including history days, workshops, visitors and school trips immerse children in their studies and bring learning to life.
Children will study a rich, diverse curriculum which enables them to understand how key decisions and significant individuals affected history and continue to shape the world in which we live. They will explore key questions, identifying and building on previous knowledge to make connections to their new learning and working towards ‘end points.’ Children are encouraged to think deeply about the past, expressing their opinions and reflecting on lessons to be learned. They are encouraged to ask their own questions and explore their own avenues of research, making deductions to find the answers to historical enquiry. They use effective analytical and presentational techniques to draw conclusions and can apply their learning in other curriculum areas. Children with a particular interest or talent will be given opportunities to investigate a wider range of topics outside of our History curriculum.
In order to help our children to become well-rounded citizens, fundamental British values are woven through our History curriculum. As part of their studies, children will have the opportunity to debate the ‘rights and wrongs’ of history, to explore the impact of significant people and events and to form their own opinions. They will use a wide range of historical vocabulary when discussing their knowledge and understanding and debating controversial issues.