A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin
and culture is like a tree without roots.
- Marcus Garvey

At Blacko, we want our children to think like historians and have a rich schema of historical knowledge. We want them to gain an understanding of our local history, Britain’s past and that of the wider world through the understanding of key concepts and enquiry questions. Children should develop curiosity in what has come before them and how it has shaped current societies. They should be able to use sources of information to ask perceptive questions and draw opinions. The rich language curriculum should enable them to articulate their thoughts coherently and powerfully.

Our teaching will provide children with clear and comprehensive lessons, so that they understand history as a chronological narrative from ancient times to the present day. It should equip them with the ability to think critically, weigh evidence by sifting through arguments and develop perspective and judgement. In addition, History will help our children understand the complexity of people's lives, the process of change, the diverse societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.

Our aim is to start our children’s historical journey right from the very start of their reception year by building on from the Early Learning Goals of Understanding the World.

In their time in Early Years, children will have talked about the lives and roles of people around them. They will have compared things in the past to how they are now, drawing on their own experiences and on texts they have shared, and they will have used the settings, characters and events they encounter in these stories to develop their understanding of the past.

In History children are imparted with knowledge and understanding of history and its chronology. Children are taught to explore the cause and consequences of events, and their significance in time. As historians, children are taught the essential skills of being able to use and understand sources of evidence, enabling them to become greater depth historians.

Each year group learns about three different areas of history: Local, British and Global.

Within each of those units there in an enquiry questions and key concepts which underpin the key knowledge and skills. The curriculum progresses through skills, knowledge and vocabulary. Knowledge organisers are used within each lesson to build upon prior knowledge and aid children’s understanding within each unit. In addition to this, we have carefully sequenced educational visits to provide experiential learning to enhance our children’s historical understanding.

Evidence

At Blacko children have the opportunity to record their learning in a variety of ways, which is recorded within their floor books (KS1) and history books (KS2). Evidence of the learning is dependent on the lesson outcome, year group and the knowledge and skills being developed. This can be in the form of extended writing, photographs of practical activities, historical timelines, speech bubble comments relating to the learning.

Assessment

Teachers assess children’s learning throughout each lesson to ensure understanding of skills and knowledge before building onto future learning. Teachers use a range of questioning and retrieval practice to assess children against the aims of the lesson. In addition, children will also complete end point assessments at the end of each unit to assess their substantive and disciplinary knowledge.

Inclusion & SEND Across Our Curriculum

Across all areas of the primary curriculum, we are committed to ensuring that every pupil—including those with SEND, those who are disadvantaged, and pupils from all backgrounds and demographics—can access, engage with and succeed in their learning.

Our curriculum is designed to be inclusive by intent and adaptive in practice, ensuring that high expectations are maintained for all learners while removing barriers to participation and progress.

 

High-Quality, Inclusive Teaching in Every Subject

In every subject, pupils with SEND are supported to access learning through carefully planned adaptations that are responsive to individual need. These adaptations are part of high-quality first teaching and are planned by class teachers in collaboration with the SENDCo where appropriate.

Adaptations are informed by the EEF’s ‘Five-a-Day’ principles for SEND, ensuring that teaching strategies are evidence-based and benefit all learners. These may include:

• Flexible grouping and targeted adult support

• Clear modelling and explicit instruction

• Use of visuals, scaffolds and structured resources

• Opportunities for retrieval, overlearning and pre-teaching

• Assistive technology or alternative methods of recording

Such approaches support pupils with SEND while also strengthening learning for disadvantaged pupils and the wider class.

 

Subject-Specific Adaptation and Access

Each curriculum subject is planned with consideration for:

• Cognitive demand and curriculum sequencing

• Language and vocabulary development

• Practical and multisensory learning opportunities

• Alternative ways for pupils to demonstrate understanding

Where needed, teachers implement Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP) within lessons to ensure pupils can participate meaningfully in subject learning alongside their peers.

This ensures that pupils are not removed from learning unnecessarily and that adaptations remain closely aligned to the curriculum’s intended knowledge and skills.

 

Early Identification and Responsive Support

Across all subjects, pupil progress is closely monitored. Where barriers to learning are identified, teachers follow a graduated response (Assess, Plan, Do, Review) to ensure timely and appropriate support.

Subject leaders work alongside the SENDCo to:

• Review curriculum accessibility

• Support teachers with inclusive subject-specific strategies

• Ensure adaptations are effective and proportionate

• Maintain ambitious outcomes for all learners

This reflects the current Ofsted focus on how well schools identify need, adapt curriculum delivery and evaluate impact for pupils with SEND.

 

Partnership with Families

We recognise the importance of working in partnership with parents and carers. Our Inclusion and SEND page provides further information about:

• How subject learning may be adapted

• What support looks like in the classroom

• How progress is communicated

• Where families can access additional advice or support

Through open communication, we ensure that provision across all curriculum areas reflects each child’s strengths, needs and aspirations.

 

Inclusive Curriculum & Ofsted Expectations

Our approach aligns with the latest Ofsted Inspection Framework, which places strong emphasis on:

• Inclusive curriculum design

• The effectiveness of adaptive teaching

• The impact of support for pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged

• Leaders’ understanding of how well pupils access and achieve across subjects

We continually review our curriculum and teaching practices to ensure that all pupils are supported to achieve well across every subject area.

 

For further information, please see our SEND and Inclusion Page on our school website.

Subject Leaders

Subject leaders will conduct deep dives, which include lesson drop ins, pupil interviews and book looks to measure the impact of our teaching, based on how much children can remember. Subject leaders will meet with their counterparts from our other trust schools and will moderate the work and monitoring outcomes from their setting to ensure that standards are exceeding the expectations.