History

At Watlington Community Primary School we want to develop learners who have a love of history and a curiosity to find out about the past so that they can make thoughtful observations and judgements about it. We believe that by better understanding the past, we can better understand the world we live in today and help us to make informed decisions about how we impact the future. Central to our approach to teaching history is a belief that it is far more than learning a list of dates and events that must be memorised.

A high-quality history education helps pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. Our history curriculum is carefully sequenced and planned to inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past. Within it, pupils are taught to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. History helps pupils to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.

Geography

Geography gives children the knowledge about the world we live in. We look to create ‘awe and wonder’ at the natural world. We give children opportunities to discuss, form opinions and question issues that affect themselves and where they live at a local and international level and aim to make children responsible global citizens.

During their time at Watlington Community Primary School, children will acquire skills and knowledge across projects and year groups, so they have a clear understanding of Earth’s physical/human processes. They will develop confidence in identifying locations and will become knowledgeable in communicating geographically. During the time in our school, pupils will be given opportunities to apply their skills to fieldwork studies within their locality.