By using thinking skills, pupils who are gifted in history can focus on knowing how as well as knowing what to learn. Many aspects of history contribute to the development of:

information-processing skills
the ability to locate and collect relevant information, to sort, classify, sequence, compare and contrast, and to analyse part/whole relationships

reasoning skills
the ability to give reasons for opinions and actions, to draw inferences and make deductions, to use precise language to explain what they think, and to make judgements and decisions informed by reasons and/or evidence

enquiry skills
the ability to ask relevant questions, to pose and define problems, to plan what to do and ways to research, to predict outcomes and anticipate consequences, and to test conclusions and improve ideas

creative-thinking skills
the ability to generate and extend ideas, to suggest hypotheses, to apply imagination, and to look for alternative, innovative outcomes

evaluation skills
the ability to evaluate information, to judge the value of what they read, hear and do, to develop criteria for judging the value of their own and others' work or ideas, and to have confidence in their judgements.

For example, a gifted year 9 pupil might pursue an interest in a historical character for a personal enquiry. She would need to plan the enquiry, possibly using unit 22 to prompt ideas. Setting a key enquiry question would demand the enquiry skills of posing and defining a problem and planning what to do, and possibly the creative-thinking skill of suggesting a hypothesis. Conducting the enquiry would involve drawing on a range of thinking skills, including information-processing skills, as she identifies sources of relevant information and considers what may not be available. It would also involve comparing and contrasting information, using reasoning skills, drawing inferences and deductions and reaching judgements based on evidence. As part of the enquiry process and at its conclusion, evaluation skills would need to be deployed.

Managing provision in the general guidance

Matching teaching to pupils' needs in the general guidance

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