History

Khalsa Primary School aims to ignite children’s curiosity about history, both in Britain and the wider world. We are currently using a learning scheme called PKC History which develops key understanding of historical skills for all children. We teach the National Curriculum ensuring there is progression at in each year group with well sequenced lessons embedding key events at every stage. History holds crucial life skills such as empathy, persuasive reasoning, and independent thinking, all of these skills are highly valued in adulthood. With this in mind, our school strives to deliver a high-quality history curriculum meticulously designed and organised to provide our students with a solid and interconnected knowledge of British, local, and global history. The curriculum we follow emphasises rich content encompassing knowledge and vocabulary. We aim to ensure all skills are covered by:

• Creating opportunities for children to construct a framework by investigating the past and its impact on the present.
• Encouraging critical examination of evidence and for children to form their own personal viewpoints.
• Equipping children with the ability to effectively express their perspectives using appropriate historical vocabulary.
• Exploring a diverse range of informational sources.
• Cultivating a sense of enjoyment, empathy, and curiosity to explore the wonders of the past.

Our approach to teaching history at Khalsa Primary School follows a structured Long Term Plan, where topics are taught on a half-termly basis. Our History curriculum is designed to foster a sense of curiosity among students, encouraging them to explore and deepen their knowledge of the past. It provides opportunities for children to ask insightful questions, think critically, evaluate evidence, analyse arguments, and develop their own perspectives and judgements.

Through the study of History, we want children to understand the complexities of people’s lives in the past, the dynamics of change and the diverse nature of societies. Furthermore, we believe it is essential for students to develop an understanding of their own personal identity and the challenges of their time. Additionally, we want to make history relatable so aim to link past events to Sikh history and create cross links. By teaching History in this manner, we strive to broaden children’s horizons, challenge preconceived notions, and equip them with valuable life skills that will prepare them for the transition to secondary school and beyond.

At Khalsa Primary School our belief is that when children attain a deep understanding of history, they will be capable of expressing their knowledge with assurance. Hence, pupil voice serves as a valuable instrument for evaluating their progress. If a child can confidently construct their own responses to a comprehensive investigation, it indicates that the curriculum and its implementation have been effective. The work produced by our students and the conversations they engage in should demonstrate their development of historical skills and knowledge, preparing them for the next level of education and beyond.