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Humanities

Geography:

Geography is one of the main subject leads for our cross curricular topics and is also taught discretely as appropriate. Learning in geography inspires in the children a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people.

This begins in Early Years and Key Stage 1 by looking at our familiar local environment. The children also learn about different continents and oceans in addition to identifying characteristics of the four countries and capitals of the UK and its surrounding seas. The compare and contrast the human and physical geography of a small area of the UK and a European country. The children will develop and use simple geographical vocabulary and observational skills to study the geography of the local area as well as learning how to use maps, atlases, aerial photographs and globes. They will also use compass directions to map locations. Each year they will have the opportunity to undertake fieldwork in the local area to track physical and human change to the local environment.

In Key Stage 2 the children broaden their geographical understanding and locational skills beyond their immediate area to include a study of the UK, Europe and North and South America and develop their awareness of some of the world’s most significant human and geographical features. By comparing and contrasting different regions the children will develop understanding of physical features such as climate, biomes, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and explore the effects of human activity on the geography through settlements, economic activity and the use of natural resources. Children will continue to develop geographical skills through fieldwork and the use of maps, globes and digital mapping. They will be able to use the eight points of a compass and observe, measure, record and present their findings relating to features in the local area.
History:

History is the other main subject lead for our cross curricula topics that is taught across the school as part of a two year cycle. The knowledge and skills of history are incorporated into the topic lessons where children learn about different aspects of British history as well as that of the wider world.

It begins in Early Years where the learning is very much focused on the memories of the child. They are asked to remember a special event or routine or custom for their family and talk about differences between different family members or different generations.

This is built upon in Key Stage 1 where children develop their awareness of the past and learn about specific people or events that are both within and beyond living history. They will learn about lives of significant individuals of the past who have contributed to national and international achievements and study significant historical events, people and places in their own locality. They will learn how these people and events fit within a chronological time line and identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods. Children will also understand how we find our information about the past and ask and answer questions to show they understand key features of events.

In Key Stage 2 children continue to develop their chronological understanding and knowledge of British, local and world history. They will do this by covering various areas of the curriculum for history including: changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age, the Roman Empire and its impact on Britain, Anglo Saxons and their settlements as well as their struggle with the Vikings, how World War II affected our local area, Ancient Egyptians, Ancient Greece and Benin. They will make links with their previous learning that they have done through school and use a range of sources to research and find clues and evidence of what happened. Children also take note of connections, contrasts and trends over time addressing and creating questions about this as they go. Their learning is also integrated within other lessons to enable links to be made between topics and to achieve cross curricular understanding.