'We are Historians'

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow."

Albert Einstein

Why should we learn about History?

From stone tablets to smartphones, from chariots to self-driving cars, history has provided us with a sea of ideas. These ideas provide useful insights to understand our ancestors. They give us a peek into how their lives were enjoyed and the problems they faced. Analysing these ideas helps us understand where we’ve been and make predictions about where we’re going. History stimulates children’s interest and understanding about people and events in the past. Our pupils develop a sense of chronology, identity, heritage and cultural understanding through the different topics taught. We think critically about values such as law, democracy and equality and how events in the past have influenced life today.

How will it help children in later life?

History has a major impact on our lives today. We are who we are because of people in history and historical events. We can begin connecting history to our modern lives to help humanity build a more positive future. As well as knowledge of key events and people, history focuses on developing key skills of enquiry, interpretation, perspective and problem-solving. Children will develop a strong sense of historical identity within West Derby, Liverpool, North West England, United Kingdom and the rest of the World. 

What can children expect in history at BPJS?

We offer a creative, engaging curriculum where our children feel excited and filled with a sense of awe and wonder.  We aim to make our history curriculum memorable through exciting trips and special events.  Children will be engaged in lively discussions, re-enactments, dressing up, visits to places of local interest and lots of ‘Horrible Histories’.

Check out the photo gallery to see some of our exciting learning.

What can parents expect?

We need your support to make learning memorable. See the list below for some of the things you can do to help:  

• Make costumes - for our special enrichment days children may want to wear a costume to enhance their experience. Please get your needle and thread out or have a rummage through your wardrobes because homemade costumes are often the best.
• Display our work - children will be bringing home artefacts that they have made in class. Make a special place on your mantelpiece!
• Listen and be interested - children will be excited to tell you about the wonderful trips and learning experiences they have had, so be prepared for their stories and memories.

• Take part – you may need to take an hour off work to watch your child’s class assembly where you will learn amazing facts from their historical topics.
• Tell us – do you have a particular interest in history or have you experienced something that we could hear about? Do you have a job that involves history? Let us know!

How we teach

Our BPJS History curriculum ensures a broad and balanced approach that builds on expectations of the National Curriculum (2014). We build upon this with a bespoke long-term plan to teach exciting lessons. We aim to create a passion for history which develops their sense of curiosity about the past and their understanding of how and why people interpret the past in different ways.

We plan for the development and progression of skills to ensure our children are making progress.  Please see the long term curriculum overview and examples of what we teach within year group curriculum maps here.

Inclusion

Differentiation is key to delivering an effective and inclusive curriculum.   All pupils' starting points are considered and activities and work is matched to ensure pupils reach their full potential, whilst supporting the child's learning.  Adult support, a range of activities, equipment and resources can enable children of all abilities to access learning. 

Our school will ensure that:

• all children have entitlement to a broad and balanced, enriching curriculum
• all children enjoy an active involvement in History
• all children have opportunities to experience a broad and balanced range of history activities
• all children have opportunities to learn about history from different times and cultures
• all children will be given equal access to the experience of History regardless of their gender, race, disability, medical or other needs
• teachers use a variety of approaches that are matched to the activity and the ability of the children