History

Curriculum statement

The aim of History teaching is to stimulate the children’s interest and understanding about the life of people who lived in the past, both in Britain and in the wider world. We teach children a sense of chronology, and through this they develop a sense of identity and a cultural understanding based on their historical heritage. Thus they learn to value their own and other people’s cultures . We teach children to understand how events in the past have influenced our lives today; we also teach them to investigate these past events and, by so doing, to develop the skills of enquiry, analysis, interpretation and problem-solving.

History teaching at our school has two main aims: to encourage children to learn about the past and to ensure history reinforces skills of finding out and reasoning which are applicable in many areas of life.

Implementation

History leads at least one topic per year group.  We begin with a stunning start designed to  excite and stimulate the children's interest.  A variety of activities throughout the topic are designed to encourage children to make deductions from evidence, research using books, empathise with people from the past and  encourage them to recognise similarities and differences between different time periods.  The children are encouraged to reason, linking cause with effect.  Where possible, we visit local places of historical interest such as Fishbourne Roman Palace and Michelham Priory.  We also invite theatre groups or other experts in to run workshops to bring the past alive.

Enrichment activities to do outside of school

There are many activities that you can do with your children outside of school that will help to ignite and excite their interest in history as well as deepening their knowledge and understanding.  In our local area we are lucky to have a number of resources at our finger tips.

• Visit Preston Manor
• Visit the Sea Life Centre, one of the oldest aquariums in the country
• Visit the Brighton Pavilion, the holiday home of George IV
• Visit the Brighton Museum
• Go further afield to visit Bignor Roman Villa
• Go to  Brighton Palace Pier, first opened in 1899
• Travel on the Volk's Railway
• Visit the fishing museum to learn how Brighton developed from a fishing village into the city that it is today
• Visit the Brighton Toy Museum to learn about old toys.
• Visit Rottingdean windmill
• You will also find that many place such as Fishbourne, Arundel, Newhaven and the Weald and Downland Museum near Chichester have exciting hands on and dramatic activities during school holidays especially aimed at children