History

Intent

At The Phoenix Federation, we aim to inspire pupils with a curiosity and fascination about the past that will remain with them throughout their lives. Our history curriculum is designed to help children develop a secure understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world, enabling them to make sense of the present and understand how societies have evolved over time.

We provide a broad, ambitious and knowledge-rich curriculum that develops pupils’ understanding of chronology, significant events, influential individuals and diverse civilisations. Through carefully planned learning experiences, pupils gain both substantive knowledge (what happened in the past) and disciplinary knowledge (how historians investigate, analyse and interpret the past).

Our curriculum reflects the diversity of Britain and the wider world by exploring the lives, achievements and experiences of people from a wide range of cultures, backgrounds and communities throughout history. Through the study of local, national and global history, pupils develop an appreciation of how different societies have shaped the world we live in today.

We believe that local history plays a vital role in helping pupils understand their own identity, community and place within society. Through the study of significant local events, including the New Cross Fire of 1981, pupils develop an understanding of the experiences, contributions and challenges that have shaped the communities they live in today. This helps pupils make meaningful connections between the past and present whilst fostering empathy, reflection and a sense of belonging.

We promote inclusivity and high expectations for all learners. Drawing on evidence-informed approaches championed by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), we ensure that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, are supported to access ambitious historical learning and achieve success.

Implementation

History is taught through a carefully sequenced curriculum that builds knowledge and skills progressively from Early Years through to Year 6. Learning is organised so that pupils revisit and deepen their understanding of key historical concepts, enabling them to make meaningful connections across different periods, civilisations and geographical locations.

Teaching focuses on acquiring and retaining important historical knowledge while developing pupils’ ability to think and work as historians. Children are taught to:

• Develop chronological understanding and place historical events within a wider timeline.
• Investigate and interpret a range of historical sources and evidence.
• Recognise similarities and differences between periods and societies.
• Understand cause and consequence, continuity and change.
• Explore different interpretations of the past.
• Use historical vocabulary accurately and confidently.
• Ask historical questions, evaluate evidence and justify conclusions using their historical knowledge.

Our teaching reflects EEF-informed approaches to effective learning. Key vocabulary is explicitly taught and revisited throughout each unit and over time. Prior learning is regularly revisited through retrieval practice, helping pupils transfer knowledge from their working memory into their long-term memory and enabling them to make meaningful connections between new and existing learning.

Assessment for learning is embedded throughout the curriculum. Teachers use skilled questioning, discussion, observation, written work, low-stakes quizzes and exit tickets to check pupils’ understanding, identify misconceptions and inform future teaching. Exit tickets provide valuable opportunities for pupils to reflect on and demonstrate what they have learned, enabling teachers to respond precisely to pupils’ needs and ensure that knowledge is secured over time.

History learning culminates in purposeful outcomes that allow pupils to synthesise and communicate their understanding. Pupils regularly complete extended pieces of writing, including historical narratives, non-chronological reports, biographies, balanced arguments and newspaper reports. These outcomes provide opportunities for children to apply historical knowledge, use precise disciplinary vocabulary and demonstrate their understanding of chronology, cause and consequence, significance and interpretation. Such work allows pupils to showcase their historical learning whilst further developing their communication and literacy skills.

History is enriched through educational visits, local history studies, artefacts, visitors, high-quality texts and cross-curricular links that bring learning to life. A significant aspect of our local history offer is the study of the New Cross Fire of 1981, an important event in the history of Lewisham and the wider Black British community. Pupils have opportunities to visit the New Cross Fire Memorial, engage with local historical sources and hear first-hand accounts from family and community members whose experiences help bring this history to life.

These experiences deepen pupils’ understanding of remembrance, community activism, equality and social justice whilst developing their ability to work with different forms of historical evidence. They also provide valuable cultural capital, helping pupils make meaningful connections between historical learning, their local community and the wider world.

Learning is carefully scaffolded where necessary whilst maintaining high levels of challenge and ambition for all pupils.

Impact

The impact of our history curriculum is that pupils leave The Phoenix Federation with a secure body of historical knowledge and a genuine enthusiasm for learning about the past. They can discuss historical events, people and periods with increasing confidence, accuracy and sophistication.

They understand how historians construct knowledge about the past and can use evidence to form, justify and evaluate their own conclusions.

Pupils demonstrate:

• Secure chronological understanding.
• Knowledge of significant historical events, individuals and civilisations.
• The ability to analyse, interpret and evaluate historical evidence.
• An understanding that history can be interpreted in different ways.
• Strong historical vocabulary and communication skills.
• Curiosity, critical thinking and respect for diverse cultures, communities and experiences.
• An appreciation of how the past has shaped the world in which we live today.
• An understanding of the significance of local historical events, including the New Cross Fire of 1981, and their lasting impact on communities and society.

Assessment is used effectively to ensure knowledge is remembered, connected and built upon over time. Through a range of formative and summative assessment strategies, teachers monitor pupils’ understanding and identify next steps in learning.

As a result, pupils are able to recall and apply previously taught historical knowledge with increasing confidence and accuracy. They know more, remember more and develop a deeper understanding of key historical concepts, historical enquiry and the connections between different periods of time.

Pupils develop a strong understanding of their local area and its history. They recognise how local events connect to national and global themes and understand that the experiences and voices of individuals and communities play an important role in shaping historical narratives.

Our pupils leave the Federation as knowledgeable, reflective and inquisitive learners who are well prepared for the next stage of their education. They possess the historical knowledge, enquiry skills and cultural understanding needed to become informed, thoughtful and active citizens.

Our history curriculum is underpinned by evidence-informed practice, including EEF recommendations on high-quality teaching, vocabulary development, retrieval practice, metacognition, and effective implementation. It reflects Ofsted’s focus on a well-designed curriculum in which pupils acquire, remember and connect important knowledge over time, enabling them to know more, remember more and understand more.

Subject Statement

“At The Phoenix Federation, we believe that history helps children understand who they are, where they come from and how the world around them has been shaped. Through an ambitious, knowledge-rich curriculum, pupils develop the skills to think critically, analyse evidence, and appreciate different perspectives. We want our children to become curious historians who ask thoughtful questions, challenge assumptions and develop a lifelong fascination with the past. By exploring local, national and global history, including significant events such as the New Cross Fire of 1981, pupils gain the knowledge, confidence and cultural understanding needed to become informed, reflective and active citizens of the future.”