The humanities curriculum at Oldway encompasses learning in history, geography and RE and seeks to encourage pupils to think creatively; to reason about being human and to ask questions about our world. The study of humanities seeks to build two types of knowledge:
i) substantive knowledge – the knowledge pupils ought to remember and recall
ii) disciplinary knowledge - the sorts of questions, responses, ideas and concepts pupils will UNDERSTAND if they have mastered the subject.
In our humanities curriculum, we acknowledge the balance between the macro and the micro and teaching sequences are planned to explore both overarching themes and in-depth studies.
At Oldway, we aim for a high-quality history curriculum which is designed to develop pupils understanding of history as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day: how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and has been influenced by the wider world. Our pupils gain coherent knowledge and an understanding of Britain’s past and legacy, and that of the wider world, with opportunities to explore similarities and differences. Pupils are equipped to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement based on prior and new substantive knowledge. Our history curriculum aims to support pupils to develop a versatile understanding of their own identity in relation to the world, their perspectives and the challenges of their time.
The curriculum is designed around these key themes:
At Oldway, history is taught through history-led themes and develops the concepts of civilization, power and influence and legacy.