Essential characteristics of History

At Wickersley Northfield, we intend to develop the following essential characteristics of History in all pupils:

• An excellent knowledge and understanding of people, events, and contexts from a range of historical periods and of historical concepts and processes.
• The ability to think critically about history and communicate ideas very confidently in styles appropriate to a range of audiences.
• The ability to consistently support, evaluate and challenge their own and others’ views using detailed, appropriate and accurate historical evidence derived from a range of sources.
• The ability to think, reflect, debate, discuss and evaluate the past, formulating and refining questions and lines of enquiry.
• A passion for history and an enthusiastic engagement in learning, which develops their sense of curiosity about the past and their understanding of how and why people interpret the past in different ways.
• A respect for historical evidence and the ability to make robust and critical use of it to support their explanations and judgments.
• A desire to embrace challenging activities, including opportunities to undertake high-quality research across a range of history topics.

Breadth of study: History in the National Curriculum

Key Stage One

• The lives of significant individuals in Britain’s past who have contributed to our nation’s achievements - scientists such as Isaac Newton or Michael Faraday, reformers such as Elizabeth Fry or William Wilberforce, medical pioneers such as William Harvey or Florence Nightingale, or creative geniuses such as Isambard Kingdom Brunel or Christina Rossetti.
• Key events in the past that are significant nationally and globally, particularly those that coincide with festivals or other events that are commemorated throughout the year.
• Significant historical events, people and places in their own locality.

Key Stage Two

• Changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age.
• The Roman Empire and its Impact on Britain.
• Britain’s settlement by Anglo Saxons and Scots.
• The Viking and Anglo Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England.
• A local history study.
• A study of a theme in British history.
• Early Civilizations achievements and an in-depth study of: Ancient Egypt.
• Ancient Greece.
• A non- European society that contrasts with British history: Mayan Civilization.

YEAR 1 VISIT TO CANNON HALL

Our Year 1 children recently enjoyed a visit to Cannon Hall Farm! Here they studied their enquiry question What was life like for a Victorian servant?

They became scullery maids, laundry maids, cooks, footmen, diary maids, ladies maids and butlers as they explored the roles and hierarchy of a Victorian house.

YEAR 3 VISIT TO MANOR LODGE

Our Year 3 children recently enjoyed a visit to Sheffield Manor Lodge where they discovered how people survived in the harsh stone age conditions. They enjoyed developing their hunting skills including making their own spear and shooting bow and arrows. They also took part in shelter building and learnt how to start a fire with a bow and drill.

The children then had a go at creating cave paintings by candlelight with their own paint and feather brushes!

Threshold concepts and milestones

Key learning milestones at Wickersley Northfield will be taught under the threshold of four different Historical concepts:

Investigate and interpret the past - This concept involves understanding that our understanding of the past comes from an interpretation of the available evidence.

Build an overview of world history - This concept involves an appreciation of the characteristic features of the past and an understanding that life is different for different section.

Understand chronology - This concept involves an understanding of how to chart the passing of time and how some aspects of history studied were happening at similar times in different places.

Communicate historically - This concept involves using historical vocabulary and techniques to convey information about the past.

HISTORY CURRICULUM OVERVIEW AND PLANNING

Click here to see our whole school progression overview of History.

Click below to see our History schemes for each year group.

F1

F2

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Celebrating History at Wickersley Northfield

Celebrating the coronation of King Charles lll

On Friday 5th May 2023 we celebrated the coronation of King Charles. Children and staff dressed in red, white and blue and enjoyed tucking into a street food buffet!

Throughout the day the children took part in celebration assemblies, coronation themed artwork and enjoyed reading 'Little people, BIG dreams - King Charles'. Our foundation stage children also enjoyed a tea party in their home corner!

This was a great way for our school community to come together and celebrate our new monarch.

YEAR 2 VISIT TO SHERWOOD FOREST

Year 2 have recently been studying life beyond living memory with a focus on Robin Hood and medieval life. The children visited Sherwood Forest where they were lead around the forest by Maid Marian herself! They explored the life of Robin and his band of merry men and visited their hideout (the Major Oak Tree). They even had the change to handle some medieval weapons!

MR EGYPT COMES TO WNPS!

Year 5 recently enjoyed a visit from an Egyptologist! They spent the day studying Egyptian artefacts and how they can tell us more about the life of this Ancient civilisation.