Our History curriculum enables our children to gain knowledge and understanding of the past within our own locality, our country and the wider world. They will learn about the past and gain knowledge from different historic periods as well as developing an understanding of historical terms and vocabulary. This History curriculum at East Boldon Infant draws from and makes full use of the immediate and wider local areas, enabling children to develop a history of their locality.

The study of Geography is to develop our children knowledge and understanding of places including their immediate environment and the wider world. It also allows children to look at the how people interact and affect environments.

Geography:

  • Knowledge and understanding of places. Pupils develop their sense of identity through learning about their locality and the wider world, including a non-European country.
  • Knowledge and understanding of patterns and processes. Pupils recognise and explain selected physical and human processes including weather in contrasting locations.
  • Knowledge and understanding of environmental relationships and issues. Pupils describe how people damage or improve the environment (sustainable development).
  • Develop geographical skills and vocabulary necessary to carry out effective geographical enquiry.

History:

  • Knowledge and understanding of chronology. Pupils recognise that the past can be divided into periods of time.
  • Develop a range and depth of historical knowledge and understanding. Pupils develop factual knowledge of events, people and changes in the past. Interpretations of History- pupils identify with confidence the different ways in which the past is represented.
  • Develop historical enquiry skills – Pupils study evidence, ask questions and solve problems.

The skill based curriculum is organised into half-termly Key Stage One topics. The choice of contexts in which the curriculum is delivered is designed to allow flexibility and places a strong emphasis on pupils starting points, interests and talents. This engenders creativity and allows children to express their understanding and responses to investigative and enquiry based learning in a unique and individual way, embracing preferred learning styles. The key knowledge and skills that the children acquire and develop through each topic have been mapped out to ensure progression and ensure depth of learning.

In Foundation Stage, history and geography are introduced as part of the Specific Area: Understanding The World.  Each topic starts with a Prime Learning Challenge which is expressed as a question, for example; ‘Are toys today more exciting than toys from long ago?’ Observation of children’s interests and activities also informs planning and provision for this area of learning.

The children think about and explore their community, environment and the natural world through their topics.  These are delivered in an active, creative and play-based way, utilising the outdoor and indoor classroom as well as using ICT as a tool for learning.  

In Key Stage 1, planning is undertaken by the year 1 and year 2 planning teams. Detailed schemes of work have been compiled and will continue to ensure progression and breadth across year groups. Planning teams provide a framework for colleagues to share expertise and integrate exciting, effective and relevant learning opportunities across the curriculum for historical and geographical skills will be developed.

At East Boldon Infant School, the curriculum is taught using a cross-curricular approach.  As part of our Learning Challenge Curriculum, each topic starts with a Prime Learning Challenge which is expressed as a question. At the beginning of each topic previous learning is referred to and for History, the class timeline is referred to, to support understanding. This also ensures that any gaps in learning can be addressed. 

Thematic topics provide the basis for making meaningful links between the humanities subjects, whilst also allowing children to explore the subjects in isolation.   To enhance the learning experience of our pupils, our humanities curriculum acknowledges and incorporates different style of learning.  The knowledge, skills and understanding gained through the humanities curriculum is acquired through a variety of experiences.  These include:

  • Educational trips
  • Themed Days
  • Visits from people in the community
  • Drama and Role-play – including visits from theatre companies
  • The use of primary sources of information ( i.e. artefacts, photographs, maps…)
  • Story telling
  • Practical enquiry and research
  • Discussions and debates
  • Individual and group presentations
  • The use of ICT
  • Creative activities such as model making including handling wood, clay and textiles, sewing, cooking, ICT, painting and collage
  • Developing enterprise skills through links with businesses in the local and wider community

Geography:

*  Knowledge and understanding of places. Pupils develop their sense of identity through learning about their locality and the wider world, including a non-European country.

*  Knowledge and understanding of patterns and processes. Pupils recognise and explain selected physical and human processes including weather in contrasting locations.

*  Knowledge and understanding of environmental relationships and issues. Pupils describe how people damage or improve the environment (sustainable development).

*  Develop geographical skills and vocabulary necessary to carry out effective geographical enquiry.

History:

*  Knowledge and understanding of chronology. Pupils recognise that the past can be divided into periods of time.

*  Develop a range and depth of historical knowledge and understanding. Pupils develop factual knowledge of events, people and changes in the past. Interpretations of History- pupils identify with confidence the different ways in which the past is represented.

*  Develop historical enquiry skills – Pupils study evidence, ask questions and solve problems.

The skill based curriculum is organised into half-termly Key Stage One topics. The choice of contexts in which the curriculum is delivered is designed to allow flexibility and places a strong emphasis on pupils starting points, interests and talents. This engenders creativity and allows children to express their understanding and responses to investigative and enquiry based learning in a unique and individual way, embracing preferred learning styles. The key knowledge and skills that the children acquire and develop through each topic have been mapped out to ensure progression and ensure depth of learning.

In Foundation Stage, history and geography are introduced as part of the Specific Area: Understanding The World.  Each topic starts with a Prime Learning Challenge which is expressed as a question, for example; ‘Are toys today more exciting than toys from long ago?’ Observation of children’s interests and activities also informs planning and provision for this area of learning.

The children think about and explore their community, environment and the natural world through their topics.  These are delivered in an active, creative and play-based way, utilising the outdoor and indoor classroom as well as using ICT as a tool for learning.  

In Key Stage 1, planning is undertaken by the year 1 and year 2 planning teams. Detailed schemes of work have been compiled and will continue to ensure progression and breadth across year groups. Planning teams provide a framework for colleagues to share expertise and integrate exciting, effective and relevant learning opportunities across the curriculum for historical and geographical skills will be developed.

At East Boldon Infant School, the curriculum is taught using a cross-curricular approach.  As part of our Learning Challenge Curriculum, each topic starts with a Prime Learning Challenge which is expressed as a question. At the beginning of each topic previous learning is referred to and for History, the class timeline is referred to, to support understanding. This also ensures that any gaps in learning can be addressed. 

Thematic topics provide the basis for making meaningful links between the humanities subjects, whilst also allowing children to explore the subjects in isolation.   To enhance the learning experience of our pupils, our humanities curriculum acknowledges and incorporates different style of learning.  The knowledge, skills and understanding gained through the humanities curriculum is acquired through a variety of experiences.  These include:

  • Educational trips
  • Themed Days
  • Visits from people in the community
  • Drama and Role-play – including visits from theatre companies
  • The use of primary sources of information ( i.e. artefacts, photographs, maps…)
  • Story telling
  • Practical enquiry and research
  • Discussions and debates
  • Individual and group presentations
  • The use of ICT
  • Creative activities such as model making including handling wood, clay and textiles, sewing, cooking, ICT, painting and collage
  • Developing enterprise skills through links with businesses in the local and wider community

Ongoing assessments take place throughout the year. Teachers use this information to inform future lessons; ensuring children are supported and challenged appropriately. This data is analysed on a termly basis by the Subject Lead for Music to inform and address any trends or gaps in attainment.

Children in Foundation Stage are assessed within Expressive Arts and Design and their progress is tracked termly using the Evidence Me tracker system. Age related expectation levels are reported to parents at the end of the reception year.

Across Music staff will look at ways that the curriculum can be enhanced further. This may take the form of visits to the school by artists or craftspeople, or a visit out of school perhaps to a gallery in order to support pupil’s learning in art.

We often use Music Clubs as an After School provision to enrich the school curriculum further and are currently working with Music Mates to provide violin and cello tuition in school.

Teachers will assess children’s work in Music by making informal judgements through observations during lessons. On completion of a piece of work, the teacher assesses it, and uses this assessment to plan for future learning. Written or verbal feedback is given to the child to help guide his/her progress.  

Children are assessed at the end of each strand of work to determine progress against expected levels of achievement.  We have sufficient resources for all Music teaching strands in school. We keep these in a central trolley.

Evidence Me may be used to evidence practical elements of the Music curriculum

Wider opportunities: 

Singing Assemblies

In addition to music lessons, we incorporate music in many areas of the curriculum.  Pupils from Reception to Year 2 participate in weekly singing assemblies where they learn and sing new songs together as well as develop new singing techniques.  We explore a new composer every week and enjoy listening to their music. In addition, pupils listen to a different piece of music in every assembly. 

Performances

We provide opportunities for the pupils to perform in front of an audience throughout their time with us.

Pupils are given the opportunity to perform music in a range of contexts. Religious festivals, cultural festivals and assemblies are celebrated with music. 

Reception – Christmas nativity and Spring performance 

Year 1 – Christmas nativity and harvest festival 

Year 2 – Christmas show and leavers assembly 

Our performances provide pupils with the exciting opportunity to learn new songs, dances and perform. These performances are the highlight of our year and the pupils have so much fun rehearsing and putting on a show!

Musicians

Musicians have visited our school and performed for the children. This has provided our pupils with lots of interesting information about the instruments the musicians play. We have enjoyed an African drumming workshop, a Bollywood singer and dancer and a guitar player. 

Music Mark Award

We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded the Music Mark Award in recognition of our school’s commitment to music education. Music Mark is the UK Association for music education, championing and supporting access to music for all children and young people. It works to support and enable our school to deliver high-quality musical and social outcomes for all children. 

Music makers club:

In Music club we provide an opportunity for children to explore music outside of their standard curriculum. We enjoy experimenting with new instruments, making instruments and composing our own music using exciting technology! 

Small group tuition:

We currently offer small group tuition in KS1 for the following instruments: 

  • Guitar
  • Ukulele 
  • Violin 

All children experience a taster lesson of these instruments and have the opportunity to develop their skills further in small group tuition. 

Festivals: 

At East Boldon Infant School we take part in the following each year to promote a love for music and performing arts: 

  • South Tyneside schools dance festival
  • The mini sing at The Glasshouse 

Monitoring of music will be carried out in line with our monitoring programme for school. Monitoring will include:

  • Lesson observations 
  • Scrutiny of children’s work and planning 
  • Tracking of pupil progress 
  • Use of Assessment Data
  • Discussions with pupils – Pupil Voice
  • Discussions with staff – Staff Voice
  • Monitoring of subject development plans by subject leads
  • Link governor visits 

Monitoring will in particular include focus on:

  • Specific areas linked to the School Improvement Plan
  • The lowest 20% of children
  • The Pupil Premium children
  • The SEND children
  • Effective challenge
  • Timely adapting to the needs of the children
  • Effective use of resources
  • Engagement and focus of the children