History and Geography

History

History is a much loved and valued subject at Hempnall Primary School. Norfolk's own rich history is a celebrated and an inspiring feature of the curriculum.  The history curriculum at Hempnall draws from and makes full use of the immediate and wider local area, enabling children to develop a deep understanding of the rich history of their locality.

Topics are informed by the national curriculum and are sensitive to children’s interests, as well as the context of the local area. We are beginning to make our curriculum more diverse and with our partner school we are putting carefully thought through diversity within our history curriculum.  In line with the national curriculum 2014, the curriculum at Hempnall aims to ensure that all pupils:

• Gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world which helps to stimulate pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past;
• Are encouraged to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement;
• Begin to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.

Geography

At Hempnall we believe that Geography helps to provoke and provide answers to questions about the natural and human aspects of the world.  Children are encouraged to develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the world, its interconnectedness and their place in it. The geography curriculum at Hempnall enables children to develop knowledge and skills that are transferable to other curriculum areas and which can and are used to promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Geography is, by nature, an investigative subject, which develops an understanding of concepts, knowledge and skills.

The curriculum is designed to ensure that lessons equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. We value the locality and use fieldwork to give children real geographical experiences. As pupils progress through the school, their growing knowledge about the world helps them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. We seek to inspire in children a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people which will remain with them for the rest of their lives, equipping them well for further education and beyond.