1) Learning, Teaching and Achievement

Many pupils see purpose and value in what they do and understand what and why they do it. There are high levels of motivation among the pupils with the children I met in the small groups with the older children (Year 4-6) demonstrating enthusiasm and confidence in their history learning. This group of older pupils were articulate and clearly enjoyed talking about their history lessons. These pupils also discussed the ‘Fundamental Facts’ (knowledge organisers) pages that are added to through their lessons. They were confident discussing timelines and made links across the periods they have explored especially when I asked about the school threads of Monarchy and Childhood. All the pupils could describe the visits they have experienced and explained the variety of activities they have in history lessons.

The teaching and learning in history has been carefully sequenced across the school. The CPD for all staff on sources had clearly had a big impact as all four classes were using artefacts or other source materials and the teachers and children were clearly confident in these approaches. All the children were engaged and there was a very clear progression in skills as I moved from class to class. 

Without exception, the teaching was excellent. A good variety of activities was evidenced in the books including maps, sequencing, charts, definitions and vocabulary work, labelling diagrams, sorting and comparisons.

The work of pupils is assessed according to valid history criteria which is set out as assessment end points for EYFS, key Stage 1, Lower Key Stage 2 and Upper Key Stage 2 to match the mixed age classes.

Books, both fiction and non-fiction are a real focus for the school with all classes having relevant texts in use in the classrooms and a further range of historical fiction available in the library. It would be useful to identify the class text which supports each unit on the planning.

2) Leadership

The Subject Leader, who is also the Head Teacher has been in role for about ten years and is confident in explaining and justifying the decisions that have been taken. History is well organised, administered and managed. The Subject Leader file is comprehensive and the planning clearly sequenced and evaluated carefully. The staff I spoke to were confident in teaching the history units they have and were complementary about the support received from the Subject Leader. There is a clear system of monitoring for the subject, which includes book scrutiny, Learning Environment, Planning, Observations and Pupil Voice. The Subject Leader and staff make good use of the CPD on offer in Lancashire from the local authority, archives and Heritage centre. Recent CPD on the use of sources has clearly had an excellent impact.

3) Curriculum

Across the school there is clear planning of the curriculum, with explicit consideration of progression, breadth and balance as well as giving careful thought to a motivating curriculum that challenges and engages pupils across the school. There is a good, balanced coverage between local, national and global history. The school has developed its own bespoke curriculum which has been tweaked over the last couple of years as they evaluated how it had worked. The older pupils are making a range of links and connections across the curriculum through the threads identified by the school, as evidenced in the pupil voice discussions.

4) Enrichment

History is explicitly considered and taught in other areas of the school curriculum for example the addition of historical fiction to the guided reading programme, when artists are taught their historical context is taught and considered links made, the Pendle Music Map includes links to historical people and events and appropriate links are made when teaching about some countries in geography. A good range of visits are developed across the school, and these have been mapped out. All classes continue to have at least one trip per year to support their history, for example, Judge’s Lodgings, Lancaster Castle, Lancaster Archives, Lune Aqueduct, Clitheroe Castle, Quarry Bank Mill, Manchester Museum and London for Hampton Court Palace and the Tower of London. A zoom call activity with the older children as part of their World War II focus is also provided. The school has good links with the local community, including the United Reform Church and Hollings Lane Methodist Church where the school was closely involved in their 200^th anniversary celebrations and the school contributes to the Village Voice, a local newsletter.

Final Comments

A particular strength in this school is the use of sources and evidence in the lessons, the teaching was consistently excellent across the four classes.