History Purpose of Study:

A high-quality history education will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. It should inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past. Teaching should equip pupils 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. At St. Mary’s, our approach to history is typically experiential. Click the gallery to see a summary of visits and residential trips that have enriched the child’s historical understanding.

In History, we aim to:

• encourage an interest in the past
• enable children to learn about significant events in British history and to appreciate how things have changed over time;
• develop a sense of chronology;
• know how the British system of democratic government has developed and thus contribute to a child’s citizenship education and their understanding of core British values.
• understand how Britain is part of a wider European culture and to study some aspects of European history;
• have some knowledge and understanding of historical development in the wider world;
• help children understand their place within society, so that they develop a sense of cultural heritage.

Geography Purpose of Study:

A high-quality geography education should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Teaching should equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. As pupils progress, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.

In Geography, we aim to:

• enable children to gain relevant knowledge and understanding of places in Britain, Europe and the wider world;
• increase children’s knowledge of other cultures and, in so doing, teach a respect and understanding of what it means to be a positive citizen in a multi-cultural country;
• help children to learn mapping skills and take part in fieldwork;
• encourage a commitment to sustainable development and an appreciation of what ‘global citizenship’ means

Teachers use the schemes, Oddizzi, Voyagers (Rising Stars) and Hamilton Trust as a basis for their History or Geography planning.