History

The Humanities- History and Geography
Curriculum Team: The Humanities

The Pinkwell WHY for History and Geography (The intent-Vision)

History Intent: To inspire a curiosity about and understanding of Britain and the wider world in the past and significant events and advancements that built today’s global community.

Geography Intent: To inspire a fascination in our world and its people and places, equipping pupils with an understanding of the diversity of our physical and human geography, the physical processes that govern our natural world, the interactions between different humans and between humans and the physical world and what it means to be a 21st century global citizen.

At Pinkwell, we believe that History and Geography play a huge part in delivering a broad and balanced school curriculum especially as the ability to communicate effectively, on any topic, is at the core of our education.  Our intent is that the teaching of History and Geography within Project Based Learning prepares our pupils to be responsible citizens with an understanding of our complicated, interlocking world. We intend that through the implementation of Pinkwell’s curriculum drivers the children develop their critical thinking skills, analyse arguments and show empathy towards others’ point of view whilst also forming and expressing their own. We intend to enable and empower our pupils to think out of the box; compose and answer higher order questions and interrogate varied sources to form opinions and draw logical reasoned conclusions. We enable and encourage our pupils to make links and comparisons with current social, political and environmental issues in order to give them ‘a voice’ in the local, national and global discourse. 

The Pinkwell WHAT for History and Geography (The intent- BIG IDEAS)

The History BIG IDEAS we cover are:

• To develop a coherent knowledge and understanding of the chronological narrative from the earliest times until today, including an in-depth knowledge of major turning points in the history of Britain and the wider world.
• To develop an understanding of the complexities of human existence and interaction including: continuity and change; similarity, difference and significance; cause and consequence; and challenges managed through human adversity.
• To understand and use historical language, including abstract terms, accurately.
• To develop skills of historical enquiry including asking historical questions, understanding how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed, interpreting a wide range of historical sources to make historical claims. 
• To gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the varied connections: local, regional, national and international; cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history; and short- and long-term timescales.

The Geography BIG IDEAS we cover are:

• To develop a knowledge of physical geography (both terrestrial and marine), including the location and characteristics of globally significant and diverse environments and ecosystems.
• To develop a knowledge of locational and human geography, including the diversity of people and places.
• To understand different physical processes and their impact on the world.
• To understand different human interactions and connections locally, nationally and globally and their impact.
• To understand how humans interact with the physical world and the impact, both positive and negative, of this.
• To know and make effective use of geographical language.
• To make competent use of the diverse geography skills including: 
• collecting, analysing, interpreting data gathered through field work to deepen their understanding of human and physical geography
• interpreting a range of geographical sources 
• communicate geographical information effectively in a variety of formats applying skills from other subject disciplines.

The Pinkwell HOW for History and Geography (The Implementation)

At Pinkwell, the teaching and learning of History and Geography is an integral part of a Project Based approach. Subject specific objectives are incorporated into the different stages of the PBL learning cycle and relate well with the project/public product or the celebrated outcome of all the teaching sessions. Within Project Based Learning children are taught specific humanities knowledge and skills to develop their understanding of the BIG ideas of History and Geography. Through meaningful teaching, reading and discussion of varied primary and secondary sources pupils build knowledge and vocabulary which enables them to reason and apply their learning as humanities skills. These skills are progressive and develop Pinkwell children as future Historians and Geographers. Trips are used as a means of building pupil experience of humanities and building cultural capital. Opportunities are also provided for pupils to extend their theme based thinking and reasoning as humanities based ideas are discussed within Philosophy for Children (P4C) and Question of the Day.

The Pinkwell SO WHAT for History and Geography (The Impact)

Pinkwell pupils’ demonstrate age related attainment and progress in humanities and are passionate about its role in PBL learning. Pupils demonstrate their knowledge, skills and clear, concise communication in cross-curricular writing, through their own work in books and the celebration books and in presentations for public products, humanities assemblies and pupil voice opportunities.  

Look at an example of Year 1s amazing Humanities work:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1l4VvYGETGrflAvaQa29hRpVoU2BIJZIu4vMAK2XzC6k/edit#slide=id.p