Welcome to the History at Highfields page

An introduction to History

At Highfields we view history not as simple facts and dates but encourage pupils to become detectives who explore the past in an exciting way. History is taught through a topic-based approach and gives pupils a chance to explore a wide range of sources from which the past may come alive. History allows our children to compare and contrast, to examine how and why things have changed, to learn about historical characters and to expand their research skills. We teach children to be open-minded and enquiring thinkers who understand cause and effect. We want them to understand how people have lived in the past and compare this to modern life.

A high-quality history education helps pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. It should inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past. At Highfields, our teaching aims to 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, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.

Special Educational Needs Disability (SEND) / Pupil Premium / Higher Attainers

All children are catered for within our History lessons. All children receive Quality First Teaching. Any child with identified SEND or who is pupil premium may have work additional to and different from their peers in order to access the curriculum dependent upon their needs. As well as this, our school offers a range of opportunities for all children to reach and achieve their full potential, which may include additional extension activities.

What do the children at Highfields think about History?

‘I love finding out about the things that we could not experience ourselves'.

‘It’s great to learn about things that happened in the past in detail'.

‘I think it is important to learn about history so that we understand what it was like to live before we were born’.

‘It’s also important that we understand why things are the way they are now. The things that happened in the past make the world what it is today’.

‘I liked it when we went outside to create a giant timeline!’

What do Ofsted think of curriculum leadership?

"Subject leadership is well developed. Leaders work exceptionally well together and have a considerable impact on improving outcomes across the curriculum for all pupils."

"The skilfully planned curriculum provides wide-ranging opportunities for pupils to deepen their knowledge and develop their understanding across many subjects."

"Subject leaders, together, play a central role in the continuing improvement of the school. These highly motivated leaders closely monitor the quality of teaching and its impact on pupils’ progress in their individual subject areas."

"School leaders have skilfully planned an interesting and balanced curriculum. This not only provides equality of opportunity for all pupils, but also is laced with activities designed to deepen pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills across a range of subjects. Topics are well chosen to enable pupils to delve deeply into differing cultures from Britain and around the world. Pupils talk with confidence about how this information is helping them to ‘understand what other people experience’ and ‘to respect different cultures’. "

Ofsted Report - July 2016