History
How we teach history at Kyson
At Kyson, History is taught following the CUSP curriculum, which aims to ignite children’s love for History, preparing them with essential knowledge for Key Stage 3 and beyond! All year groups use CUSP as the foundational structure for their topics.
The CUSP History curriculum draws upon prior learning, wherever content is taught, allowing connections to be made within and throughout topics. There is a mix of substantive knowledge and disciplinary knowledge woven throughout the curriculum which supports an overarching History schema. A guiding principle of CUSP is that pupils become ‘more expert’ with each study and grow an ever broadening and coherent mental model of the subjects. This guards against superficial, disconnected and fragmented understanding and knowledge.
History in KS1 and KS2
In KS1 and KS2, a unit of work is generally approximately 6 sessions. Sessions may be taught once a week or as several sessions across a week.
History in EYFS
History is taught throughout the ELG of ‘Understanding the World’. Pupils learn about the past and present through daily activities, exploring through change, and understanding more about the lives of others through books and visitors as well as their own experiences. These experiences are drawn upon and used to position new learning in KS1.
Memorable Moments/ Enrichment Opportunities
Teachers will plan ‘hook’ or ‘memorable moments’ to enrich pupil experiences in history units. This might involve an immersive day, trip or visitor that enhances, builds upon and supports pupil’s ability to retain the key knowledge in each unit. For example, in Year 1 the children visited Christchurch Mansion and Year 3 had a visitor from the Stone Age and got to dress up! Year 4 children had the opportunity to go to the Longshed and they had an Anglo Saxon Visitor. Year 6 children had an opportunity to visit Parham Airfield Museum to explore what it was there during World War 2.
primary national curriculum history.pdf
