Sub-Navigation
Primary history
Children can be given a stronger sense of their own identity and their place in the world around them if they can make sense of how the past has impacted on the present. For newly arrived children this is not just at a personal level but also in the sense of how the place they now live has developed, how the new language they are learning has evolved, and how some of the experiences they enjoy, such as freedom from child labour and the right to an education, were not always rights in the UK but had to be gained through determination and legislation.
Planning for inclusion
The national curriculum is the starting point for planning a school curriculum that meets the specific needs of newly arrived pupils. The national curriculum inclusion statement outlines how teachers can modify, as necessary, the national curriculum programmes of study to provide all pupils with relevant and appropriately challenging work at each key stage. It sets out three principles that are essential to developing a more inclusive curriculum:
- setting suitable learning challenges
- responding to pupils' diverse learning needs
- overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils.
Setting suitable learning challenges
Schools should aim to give every child the opportunity to experience success in learning and to achieve as high a standard as possible. The national curriculum programmes of study set out what most pupils should be taught at each key stage but teachers should teach the knowledge, skills and understanding in ways that suit their pupils' abilities. The content of certain history study units may be more accessible than others to new arrivals. Where logistics allow, this could mean choosing knowledge, skills and understanding from earlier (or, less frequently, later) key stages so that individual children can make progress and show what they can achieve.
Where it is appropriate for children to make extensive use of content from an earlier key stage, there may not be time to teach all aspects of the age-related programmes of study. A similarly flexible approach will be needed to take account of any gaps in children's learning resulting from missed or interrupted schooling. A small number of children arriving in the UK may not have received any previous schooling, or their education may have been interrupted because of war. These children will have fewer historical skills than their peers. The 'Children with little or no prior education' area of this site gives further guidance on this.
Responding to pupils' diverse learning needs
When planning, staff should have high expectations and provide opportunities for all children to achieve. Teachers will be aware that children bring to school different experiences, interests and strengths which will influence the way in which they learn. The experiences of children who have lived overseas can be an asset to the history class. However, it is important to understand that some children may wish to put their experiences behind them and might feel uncomfortable if required to draw on recent traumatic events as part of their learning in school. Drawing on children’s past personal experience requires appropriate professional judgement and sensitivity. Even work in history that does not appear to be directly related to the experiences of the child may raise difficult issues.
Teachers are expected to plan their approaches to teaching and learning so that all children can take part in lessons. This will include the planning of work that is accessible for children with English as an additional language, as well as work that extends their language skills.
Teachers will need to plan appropriately challenging work for those whose ability and understanding of historical concepts are in advance of their language skills. This may mean children using their first language in history lessons. Engagement and access to history can be impeded if a child's first language is not appropriately supported. The 'English as an additional language' area of this website gives further guidance on this.
The Ofsted report Managing the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant: good practice in primary schools (2004) gives a number of examples of good classroom practice and of case studies.
Overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils
The idea of the past can be quite different in some cultures and this goes well beyond differences in work on historical interpretation. Some cultures have an idea of a continuous present and can find the idea of separate historical periods difficult to grasp. It is important to find out from the new arrivals what they understand by the past so that basic differences in interpretation do not hinder progress for the children. Failure to understand that this could be an issue may lead to significant misunderstanding.
A minority of children will have particular learning and assessment requirements which, if not addressed, could create barriers to learning. For newly arrived children these are most often linked to progress in learning English as an additional language.
The key criterion for decisions about setting and streaming is ability rather than what a child has previously studied or their fluency in English. The 'Initial assessment' area of this site gives further guidance on this.
What is the potential in the history curriculum for valuing diversity and challenging racism?
The national curriculum programme of study and the QCA/DCFS schemes of work for history provide starting points for valuing diversity and challenging racism in the classroom. The national curriculum makes the following statement about the importance of history:
History fires pupils' curiosity about the past in Britain and the wider world. Pupils consider how the past influences the present, what past societies were like, how these societies organised their politics, and what beliefs and cultures influenced people's actions. They see the diversity of human experience, and understand more about themselves as individuals and members of society. What they learn can influence their decisions about personal choices, attitudes and values. In history, pupils find evidence, weigh it up and reach their own conclusions. To do this they need to be able to research, sift through evidence, and argue for their point of view – skills that are prized in adult life.
On the Respect for all in history website there is guidance on how the programme of study requirements provide opportunities to value diversity and challenge racism.
Children should be taught to view differences in others positively, whether arising from race, gender, ability, disability, age, religion/belief or sexual orientation. History teachers can achieve this by using materials which reflect social and cultural diversity, and by providing positive images of race, gender, ability, disability, age, religion/belief and sexual orientation.
Classroom displays
Many children like to see the countries from where they originate or where they have relatives reflected in classroom displays. Displays are also a powerful medium for representing diversity in the world both of today and of the past. Schools can attempt, where practicable, to create history displays that reflect migration and diversity, as well as children’s regions of origin.
Differences in teaching history
Class sizes in some of the countries from which newly arrived children come are larger than in England. This often results in a more teacher-directed style of learning. Some countries’ education systems place greater emphasis on the acquisition of knowledge rather than the development of skills or concepts. Children arriving from countries where either or both of these conditions apply may have little prior experience of historical enquiry.
Teachers might consider working with EAL staff to develop induction materials. Such materials should introduce children to historical enquiry, different types of evidence, the wide range of sources that can be used in history, and the potential of ICT within the subject.
Children newly arrived from overseas may also be less familiar with the practice of evaluating different historical interpretations as well as with researching the causes and consequences of historical change (and continuity).
Difficulties in interpreting primary sources
Some children find it difficult to analyse and interpret primary sources used in teaching history. The English language used in medieval, Tudor or Stuart England can be difficult to understand for many children. For children learning English as an additional language this may prove to be even more challenging. The practice of providing original sources and simplified versions of primary sources written in modern English is well established and allows the learner access to the content while still recognising that the original primary source looks different to how we write things today. Where a teacher has in-class support it might be possible for the support teacher to read the source with the children in advance of the lesson or to use prepared tapes, particularly when working with significant quantities of written materials or at speed. If there is no support in lessons, the EAL support teacher could help prepare visual materials to aid the learning of new words.
Visual sources can also be challenging as a child may not have the contextual information to interpret the source. The teacher can support the child by anticipating where visual sources might require an elaboration of context to make them more accessible. For example, if pupils are using a Breughel painting of children at play they might well infer that the children are Muslims as all the girls have their heads covered. Explaining that in the past girls and women across Europe covered their heads will help the child interpret the image more accurately.
Collecting local primary sources on migration and the growth of multi-ethnic Britain
Teachers may wish to identify and collect their own primary sources on migration and the growth of multi-ethnic Britain over a period of time. These resources could include oral history such as video interviews with older members of minority ethnic communities, artefacts, newspaper articles and copies of documents. Children and their families (it is useful to involve parents and siblings where possible to show that their experience is valued) may also wish to contribute to these collections.
Adapting the curriculum
Teachers can consider adapting the history curriculum in order to enhance children's learning by providing them with activities that have been customised to meet their experiences, needs and abilities and to help them to make the best use of resources available in their school and in the local area.
Examples
Key stage 1 allows for a focus on the lives of local people (of whom the new arrivals are a part). This might include changes that have taken place over time, where children and their parents originally came from, and the growth of multi-ethnic Britain linked to the locality.
The local history study at key stage 2 offers great flexibility to draw on the collective resource of the whole community and to chart continuity and change over time.
The study of Britain since 1930 might involve the study of the human consequences of the Second World War, as well as the growth of multi-ethnic Britain post-1945. Teachers might examine changes brought about by migration in their local area.
The world history study can also be adapted according to pupil intake. For example, if a school has a large number of arrivals from Iraq, teachers might choose to study the Assyrian Empire.
The DCFS/QCA history schemes of work can be adapted to teach about migration as well as to promote diversity.
Examples
Key stage 2 unit 9 ‘What was it like for a child in the Second World War?’
This unit might be adapted to have a greater focus on the lives of refugees, evacuees and displaced children.
Key stage 2 unit 12 ‘How did life change in our locality in Victorian times?’ This unit might be adapted to look at the arrival of, for example, eastern European Jews if your locality is one in which a Jewish community settled.
Key stage 2 unit 13 ‘How has life in Britain changed since 1948?’
This unit can be adapted to look at the growth of multi-ethnic Britain.
Key stage 1 and 2 unit 18 ‘What was it like to live here in the past?’
This unit can be adapted to look at historical change brought about by migration.
The Respect for all in history site can support adaptation of the history curriculum. The key stage 2 example on this site is ‘The Kindertransport’ (Britain since 1930).
Historical vocabulary
Teachers may wish to provide lists of historical terms with definitions. If using the DCFS/QCA schemes of work the key words can be drawn from the vocabulary section in the key stage 1 and 2 units. Children could build their own bilingual dictionary of key words.
Collaborative learning involves children working together in small groups and helping each other learn. This is a good way of developing a child’s vocabulary.
Useful weblinks
Please note: QCA is not responsible for the content of external sites
Black History Month
This event happens every October. Local groups, schools and local authorities organise their own events that examine black history.
British Pathe Film Archive
The Pathe News website has a wealth of still and movie clips from the last 75 years and it is free to all maintained schools in the UK.
DCFS: Access and engagement in history: teaching pupils for whom English is an additional language
Although this guidance applies the principles of the key stage 3 national strategy to the teaching and learning of history for EAL pupils, much of it is equally applicable to primary teachers.
Holocaust Memorial Day
This is an annual event commemorated on 26 January. Many schools and local authorities organise their own events and commemorations.
Moving here: 200 years of migration to England
The Moving here website is a database of digitised photographs, maps, objects, documents and audio items from 30 local and national archives, museums and libraries which record migration experiences of the last 200 years. The site is useful for history teachers developing schemes of work on migration and the development of ethnically diverse communities in Britain.
Ofsted: Managing the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant: good practice in primary schools
This report (2004) includes case studies of schools which manage their Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant (EMAG) funding effectively.
QCA: Innovating with history
This area of the QCA website shows how the history national curriculum can motivate pupils aged 5 to 14, improve the quality of teaching and learning, and raise standards of achievement. Use this site to engage pupils with the excitement of school history, to find out what others have planned and to share your own good practice. However innovative you are, you should find something to help you improve your teaching and increase your pupils' learning.
Runnymede Trust: Real Histories Directory
The Real Histories Directory has been created as a resource tool for teachers, parents, pupils and the wider community to support them in their teaching and learning about cultural diversity in the UK.
Beth Shalom Centre
This is a Holocaust museum based in Nottinghamshire. The Aegis Trust, an associated organisation, has carried out work to support the welcome of refugees.
British Museum
The website has many online resources that support the teaching of world history.
Imperial War Museum
The Imperial War Museum’s collections cover conflict and the flight of refugees. The Holocaust exhibition is based at the Imperial War Museum London. The website offers online exhibitions, archival material and book purchases.
The National Archives Learning Curve
The Learning Curve website is an online teaching resource, structured to tie in with the history national curriculum. The Learning Curve contains a varied range of original sources including documents, photographs, film and sound recordings. A range of resources related to migration and diversity are available.
Refuge Project: Learning about refugees with refugees: a citizenship education project
The Refuge Project’s teacher's resource pack is the result of a schools project in the UK which paired nine refugees with nine schools for a six-month period.
Refugee Week
Refugee Week is an annual event that celebrates the enormous contribution of refugees to life in the UK. The Refugee Week website provides information on running successful events in schools. There are also free curriculum resources to download.
UNHCR in the UK: Teaching tools
The website of the UK office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) provides a wide range of teaching resources that can support learning about refugees in several subjects including history.
Further resources
Reclaiming our past: equality and diversity in primary history, Claire, H, Trentham Books, 1999
The Refugee Council produces a range of resources including:
Refugees: a resource book for primary schools, 1998
A primary teacher resource book containing activities, personal testimonies and background information that can be used in history lessons.