Geography and History

History

At Whitchurch we aim to inspire our pupils to be curious and creative thinkers who develop a complex knowledge of local and national history and the history of the wider world. Through our scheme of work, we aim to build an awareness of significant events and individuals in global, British and local history and recognise how things have changed over time. History will support children to appreciate the complexity of people’s lives, the diversity of societies and the relationships between different groups. Studying History allows children to appreciate the many reasons why people may behave in the way they do, supporting children to develop empathy for others while providing an opportunity to learn from mankind’s past mistakes.

Our History curriculum aims to support pupils in building their understanding of chronology, making connections over periods of time and developing a chronologically-secure knowledge of History. We hope to develop pupils’ understanding of how historians study the past and construct accounts and the skills to carry out their own historical enquiries. In order to prepare pupils for their future learning in History, our scheme aims to introduce them to key substantive concepts including power, invasion, settlement and migration, empire, civilisation, religion, trade, achievements of humankind, society and culture. 

We feel History teaches our children:

• To develop the confidence to think critically.
• To develop an enquiring mind.
• To develop investigative and research skills by analysing historical evidence
• To develop communication skills by presenting their analysis and justification with reference to historical evidence.

Geography

At Whitchurch we want to inspire our pupils to be curious and explorative thinkers who develop the confidence to question and observe places. This will help them build a knowledge of the world, from the immediate local area to a larger, global scale. Through our scheme of work, we will look at both the physical features of the world as well as the impact of human settlement and migration, which will aim to build an awareness of how Geography shapes our lives on multiple scales. Studying Geography allows children to become responsible and active citizens who will have the skills and resources to contribute positively to the world around them.

Our curriculum will champion an enquiry-based approach and will incorporate opportunities to undertake fieldwork to analyse physical and human features. This will include smaller investigations on the school grounds and larger-scale visits. Through regular and accessible fieldwork, this allows children a thorough understanding of their locality and provides a solid foundation when comparing it with other places. In order to prepare our pupils for their future learning in Geography, we will incorporate many key elements of geographical thinking and our scheme will continually revisit concepts to help build on prior learning, in particular locational knowledge, measuring and recording data and analysing and presenting findings.

We feel Geography teaches our children:

• To develop an enquiring mind.
• To develop a strong locational knowledge and ability to interpret maps.
• To develop an understanding of both physical and human features of the world.
• To develop investigative and research skills by undertaking fieldwork.
• To develop an awareness of their place in society and the role they must follow as a global citizen.