History
At Merstham Primary School, we believe that history lessons help children to be inspired and curious about the world around them by understanding what has happened in the past. Through our curriculum children gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of people's lives, the processes of change, the diversity of societies, and the relationships between different groups.
Through our GLF Curriculum, historical themes are explored as the children progress through the curriculum. For example, in Year 1 children explore the local history of Merstham and the importance it has had as a market town, and in Year 4, the children learn about the effects of power through settlers and invaders. The curriculum builds on historical skills and knowledge such as how the past has contributed to our life in the UK and the wider world. Throughout the Key Stages children also learn how to interpret sources and decide on their reliability.
Our history lessons equip children with the skills to ask insightful questions, think critically, evaluate evidence, analyse arguments, and develop their own perspectives and judgments.
How can I support my child with History?
Links to home - Teachers love parents and grandparents who are prepared to come in to talk to their class, if they have a specific knowledge about a period of history e.g. life before the internet (yes, this does now count as history!), the moon landings, or rationing.
Visit Museums or Historic Houses - Talk about the topics that they are doing. The children who love history are often the ones who have seen a love of the past in their parents. There are many excellent, free museums, e.g. the Ashmolean, Pitt Rivers, Sulgrave Manor, Banbury Museum. Use them as a resource and spend quality time sharing the past together. Otherwise, watch age-appropriate history programmes on TV.
Read fantastic Children’s Books based in the Past - Whilst these are often fiction, there will be facts and figures in the books that children will remember. Some good examples include: anything by Caroline Lawrence (the Roman Mysteries), Goodnight Mr Tom (WW2 and evacuation), Stig of the Dump (Clive King) and picture books or non-fiction books that you can share at bedtime.
Useful Weblinks.
The BBC website (though no longer being updated) has lots of links to videos, games and information about a range of historical periods.
Try Teaching History with 100 Objects for some great ideas for using artefacts to teach history.
