Brushwood Junior School
Humanities
Intent
We offer a high-quality history education that will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. History should inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past. Teaching will equip pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. History helps pupils to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups. It also helps children gain a sense of their own identity within a social, political, cultural and economic background. Because of this, the History curriculum is taught discretely as well as incorporated within other curriculum subjects such as English and Art.
Implementation
At Brushwood Junior School history should be fully inclusive to every child. Our aims are to fulfil the requirements of the national curriculum providing a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum. There is progressive development of history concepts, knowledge and skills and for the children to develop a love of history. Furthermore, we aim to inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about history that will remain with them for life. A high quality history education will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain's past and that of the wider world. High quality teaching is supported through subject leader support and feedback from learning walks.
History teaching at Brushwood has a wide application to everyday life, teaching the children to enjoy learning about the past and to have a better understanding of the society in which they live.
The aims of teaching history in school are:
- To inspire pupils' curiosity to discover more about the past and to develop an understanding that enables them to enjoy what the subject offers
- To enable the children to know about significant events in British history and how it has changed over time
- To develop a sense of chronology
- To understand how Britain is part of a wider European culture and to study some aspects of European history
- To have some understanding of historical development in the wider world
- To help children understand society and their place in it so they develop a sense of cultural heritage
- To develop in children the skills of enquiry, investigation, analysis, evaluation, debate, interpretation, problem solving and presentation
The curriculum is designed so children cover history for two terms with approximately 60-90 minutes weekly. The topics are ordered to develop a sense of chronology through the year groups.
- Changes in Britain from Stone Age to Iron Age
- Achievements of an ancient civilisation - the Egyptians
- The Roman Empire and its impact on Britain
- Ancient Greece
- The Viking and Anglo Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England
- A local history study - the impact of the railway
- The achievements of early civilisations and an in depth study of the Maya
- A study of an aspect of British history that extends knowledge beyond 1066 - The Blitz in World War 2
Children are encouraged to make comparisons between lifestyles in the different eras and the present and are encouraged to perform their own independent research to extend their knowledge and make extensive use of the library and the internet.
Impact
Pupil progress is measured through the following methods:
- Assessing children's understanding of topic linked vocabulary before and after a unit is taught
- Summative assessment of pupil discussions about their learning
- Images and videos of the children's practical learning
- Interviewing the children about their learning (pupil voice)
- Moderation in staff meetings where books are scrutinised and there is an opportunity for dialogue between teachers to understand their class's work
- Marking of written work
- Subject leader monitoring through lesson drop ins, teacher voice, action plans and governor reports
Geography
Intent
At Brushwood we believe that Geography helps to provoke and provide answers to questions about the natural and human aspects of the world. Children are encouraged to develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the world, as well as their place in it. The geography curriculum enables children to develop knowledge and skills that are transferable to other curriculum areas and which can and are used to promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Geography is, by nature, an investigative subject, which develops and understanding of concepts, knowledge and skills. We seek to inspire in children a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people which will remain with them for the rest of their lives; to promote the children’s interest and understanding of diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.
Implementation
Through carefully sequenced geography lessons taught throughout the school, the children build on the skills learnt already and are able to locate places and geographical features on maps and ordnance surveys, developing their ability to be able to read co-ordinates accurately in order to help them. The geography topics taught offer children the opportunity to broaden their outdoor learning skills as many lessons develop their skills of enquiry and exploration both in the school environment and the local community. The curriculum is designed develop knowledge and skills that are progressive, as well as transferable, throughout their time here and to their further education and beyond.
Provision in the Geography curriculum will enable pupils to:-
- Locate the world’s countries, with a focus on Europe, North and South America and countries of particular interest to pupils
- Identify key geographical features of the countries of the United Kingdom, and show an understanding of how some of these aspects have changed over time
- Locate and Understand the significance of the geographic zones of the world
- Understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region or area of the United Kingdom Understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region or area in a European country
- Physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes and the water cycle
- Human geography, including: settlements, land use, economic activity including trade links and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water supplies
- Use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied
- Use the eight points of a compass, four-figure grid references, symbols and keys (including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build knowledge of the United Kingdom and the world
- Use fieldwork to observe, measure and record the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs and digital technologies
Impact
Pupil progress is measured through the following methods:
- Assessing children's understanding of topic linked vocabulary before and after a unit is taught
- Summative assessment of pupil discussions about their learning
- Images and videos of the children's practical learning
- Interviewing the children about their learning (pupil voice)
- Moderation in staff meetings where books are scrutinised and there is an opportunity for dialogue between teachers to understand their class's work
- Marking of written work
- Subject leader monitoring through lesson drop ins, teacher voice, action plans and governor reports
Curriculum progression
How you can support your child in geography
Remembrance Day 2022
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Ufton Court
Year 6
