History
INTENT
History at Hope School and College aims to contribute to the knowledge and understanding of past and present events in both our local area and within the wider world. The intent is for all learners to encounter and develop an understanding of different historical events.
Underpinning our curriculum are our three core values of Achievement, Equality and Independence.
IMPLEMENTATION
Pathway implementation of History ensures it is delivered in a creative and enriching way, with content focusing upon learners’ interests, considering their cultural capital, whilst providing opportunities for practical skills to enable and promote independence in the future. At times, learning of History is functional as elements of History can be seen during the learner’s daily life and routines at Hope School and College using visual timetables, now and next boards and supporting learners to be as independent as possible in everyday life.
Learners’ individual Education, Health and Care Plan outcomes are also a key priority in relation to planning and implementation of content within lessons and experiences. History is delivered through thematic sessions and explored through multi-sensory delivery, utilising three frameworks – Birth to 5 Matters, The Engagement Curriculum and The National Curriculum.
Key Stage 4 & 5 as part of the thematic approach, continue to explore History related topics to ensure learners continue to learn about the world around them. History is a non-compulsory option offered in Key Stage 4 for learners to adopt if they show preference of this choice.
Using objects of reference is an important part of the implementation of history and history related knowledge and understanding. Resources for History are categorized and stored in accessible places appropriate for each department. Artefacts are wrapped in topic boxes, and historical objects are handled and treated with care by staff and learners, and our learners are taught/encouraged to see them as significant. The History curriculum is also very responsive and very reflective of the ‘here and now’ considering past and present world and current events. Our History Curriculum ensures learners have opportunities to understand concepts such as the past, present, and future. All learners will have a vocabulary that enables them to use their ‘voice’ across a wide spectrum – whether that is using ‘eye-gaze’ to share an interest in a new object, being able to use specialised vocabulary or symbols to describe an object of reference, or to physically respond to stimuli.
History provides experiences of a shared sense of community and belonging and also celebrates and reflects key historical events; for example, Remembrance Day 2 minutes silence held throughout the school and country.
Throughout school the History curriculum is enriched through visits to historical places, external school visitors, community assemblies and whole school themed days and weeks e.g. Remembrance Day, VE Day, and various Royal events including the Kings Coronation, Royal Weddings, and birthdays etc.
IMPACT
The good practice shared at Hope School and College teaches our learners to respect and celebrate each other’s differences by developing an understanding of diversity beyond their immediate family experience.
The impact of our History curriculum is that learners will have achieved their full potential in all aspects of historical significance. Learners will be as independent and functional as they can be with the skills that they can utilise in life beyond Hope School and College. Observational assessment and tracking highlights learners’ responses to sensory stimuli and level of engagement regarding historical content within sessions and thematic delivery.
History Rationale
At Hope School and College our History curriculum is designed to provide innovative opportunities to learning. Our progressive and ambitious curriculum is brought to life through immersive, multi-sensory and highly engaging learning experiences. Our History curriculum is planned to ensure a breath of study ensuring our learners have opportunities to explore various time periods. Current events are considered and responded to as and when appropriate, helping children recognise that they are taking part in making ‘History’ today (i.e. Covid-19 Crisis 2020, UK hosting the Eurovision Contest in Liverpool, Queen Elizabeth’s II death and King Charles III Coronation).
The teaching of History begins with an immersive, practical or multi-sensory approach and develops and progresses in line with the development and understanding as individually assessed. We build on prior knowledge and address misconceptions when teaching new concepts. History is also developed as a functional subject as there are many cross-curricular opportunities where it can be taught outside of the classroom, for example, within Cooking and Nutrition, PSHE and on educational visits to places of significant reference/ e.g. cenotaph.
At Hope School and College our learners have very individual needs, and we ensure that all learners are provided with equal opportunities to learn and thrive. Staff utilise a range of equipment, technologies and resources to provide stimulating and enticing learning activities and environments that are accessible to all. Our learners may also use a wide range of communication methods, which are carefully planned and utilised within lessons ensuring that every learner has a ‘voice’ they can use.
Learners may have difficulty generalising skills to new contexts. Learners may require repeated opportunities to consolidate a new skill in one “experience” and transfer this skill across a range of different “experiences”. This repetition and coverage of History is stipulated in long term plans which ensures coverage and breadth of the topic.
By creating a positive ethos of learning, we aim for our learners to develop their confidence when sharing their subject knowledge, skills and individual histories. Our History curriculum is highly individualised and is taught in line with the development and ability of all learners using various teaching methods dependent upon individual pathways, ultimately promoting a love for History.
History at Hope School and College
History in our Early Steps Pathway
Learners within Early Years and Key Stage 1 will follow the Birth to 5 Matters curriculum. Teaching and learning activities incorporate and reflect the seven areas of learning – the History aspect comes under Knowledge and Understanding the World. Learners begin to experience, explore and respond to History through Attention Autism sessions, What’s in the Box?, continuous provision areas, historical stories, fictional and nonfictional characters and role play. Key historical events are planned throughout the years as they occur.
Assessment within this pathway uses elements of Understanding the World within the Early Steps B Squared assessment tool.
Within this pathway learning may look like:
History in our Complex Learning Pathway
Learners within this pathway will access History discreetly with objectives being taken from the Attending section of the Engagement Curriculum.
Learners begin to experience and respond to History through enhanced learning environments, multisensory sessions, Weekend News/ Everywhere Bear, Let’s Explore…, trips within the local community, transitions around school, continuous provision areas and stories.
Learners will experience History through a multisensory approach utilising and engaging their sense of:
- Smell (e.g. incenses and foods)
- Taste (e.g. wartime recipes with basic ingredients)
- Sight (e.g. historical artifacts and videos)
- Touch (e.g. historical artefacts)
- Hearing (e.g. times of silence and reflection, significate musical piece including the last post, during remembrance, songs, pre-recorded sounds on big macs and using musical instruments).
Key historical events are planned throughout the year as they occur.
Assessment within this pathway is non-subject specific and is assessed using the Engagement steps B Squared Assessment Tool.
Within this pathway learning may look like:
History in our Pre-Formal Pathway
Learners within this pathway will access History discreetly with objectives being taken from the Responding section of the Engagement Curriculum.
Learners begin to explore and respond to History through Attention Autism, What’s in the Box?, Talking Tin, Show and Tell, weekend news, trips within the local community, transitions around school, enhanced learning environments, stories and role-play.
Learners will be experiencing and exploring History through a multisensory approach utilising and engaging their sense of:
- Smell (e.g. incenses, foods)
- Taste (e.g. foods for example war time recipes with basic ingredients)
- Sight (e.g. historical artifacts and videos)
- Touch (e.g. historical artefacts)
- Hearing (e.g. times of silence and reflection, significate musical piece including the last post, during remembrance, songs, pre-recorded sounds on bigmacs and using musical instruments).
Key historical events are planned throughout the year as they occur.
Assessment within this pathway is non-subject specific and is assessed using the Engagement steps B Squared Assessment Tool.
Within this pathway learning may look like:
History in our Semi-Formal Pathway
Learners within this pathway will access History discreetly or as a standalone subject dependent upon the group of children, their likes and dislikes, and topics. Objectives are taken from the Initiating section of the Engagement curriculum, building upon the foundations of learning on which the pre-formal curriculum pathways are based.
Learners will be experiencing, exploring, and responding to History through a practical multi-sensory approach and will begin to recognise their place in history. Learners
directly experience History, engaging with artefacts, visiting special places, and listening and responding to specialist in this field or firsthand accounts of events from relative and members of the local community
Key historical events are planned throughout the year as they occur.
Assessment within this pathway uses the B Squared Assessment tool – Engagement Steps / Progression Steps / Steps 4 Life as appropriate.
Within this pathway learning may look like:
History in our Formal Pathway
Learners within this pathway build upon the learning on which the semi-formal curriculum pathways are based. History is taught as a discrete subject using the National Curriculum at an appropriate level. Learners will continue to develop their knowledge, curiosity, and understanding of the subject.
Learners will:
- Recognise their part/ importance of historical events
- Share and express their feelings and experiences
- Use their imagination and curiosity
- Prepose and raise questions
- Utilise technology for research
- View Images and artefacts and visit places of historical importance
- Listen to Songs, Stories and Poetry
- Engage in home-based projects and learning.
Assessment within this pathway uses the B Squared Assessment tool – Progression Steps 3+ or Steps 4 Life as appropriate.
Within this pathway learning may look like: