‘To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child. For what is the worth of human life unless it is woven into the lives of our ancestors by the records of history.” Marcus Tullius Cicero.
In History lessons at The Hall, boys are encouraged to explore bodies of knowledge about the past produced by historians, as well as investigating artefacts and writings from the past. Our goal is to stimulate the boys’ curiosity and to help them develop their knowledge and understanding of people who have lived before us, their behaviours and habitats.
From the early years we aim to develop a sense of interest and enthusiasm in history, through supporting boys’ developing knowledge and understanding of the world through ‘topic’ work in Reception to Year 3, through informal approaches such as role play, art and craft, project work, visiting workshops and excursions and discussion. The basic historical disciplines such as working with sources and forming opinions is also developed. In the Junior School specific historical topics covered in recent years include the Greeks, Victorians, Knights and Castles, Dinosaurs, the beginning of the solar system, and some art history.
Over time, in the Middle and Senior Schools, through varied learning activities such as debates, problem solving and independent research study, boys are supported in developing the increasingly intellectual skills required for historical investigation. In Year 4 Roman Britain, Vikings, Anglo Saxons and ‘What is History?’ are the areas covered. From Years 5 to 8, the history of Britain from 1066-1666 is explored, asking some big questions along the way, such as whether Richard the Lionheart really deserves to have his statue outside the Houses of Parliament. Furthermore, the skills of observation, information selection, interpretation, synthesis and evaluation are developed through access to books, film, ICT, art, drama and trips.
The curriculum is further enhanced by a range of trips and visits. In Reception the boys visit the Wallace Collection and have special talks from the Head of History; in Year 1 boys enjoy a visit from the Victorian Theatre Company and go to the National Gallery; in Year 2 the boys go to the British Museum, to see the Thames Barrier and on a river cruise, and to explore London in relation to the Great Fire; in Year 3: the boys enjoy a ‘Greek Day’ and visit the ‘Ragged School Museum’, as well as Duxford Imperial War Museum and Knebworth House. In Year 4 dressing up for ‘Roman Day’ and experiencing a day of cultural activities is always good fun, as is an excursion to Southwark Cathedral. In Year 5 boys are taken to Windsor Castle and in Year 6, visits are further afield, to Canterbury Cathedral and the 1944 Invasion Beaches of Normandy. In Year 7 the boys experience a Medieval Weapons Day and in Year 8 boys visit Westminster Square, the Abbey, Whitehall and the many important historical sites that are in that area. Year 6, 7, & 8 boys are encouraged to enter the Townsend Warner Shield, which is a national competition for Prep Schools. This is a competition that we have enjoyed much success in over the last few years and one in which the boys can really demonstrate their enthusiasm and interest in this subject.
Ultimately, our aim is to foster a love and passion for the subject within the boys, whilst ensuring that they are equipped with the necessary historical thinking and writing skills which will allow them to make a success of the subject in their senior schools. The teaching approaches at The Hall encourage lively, experiential and investigative learning through a variety of media, so that a real interest in the past is engendered in the boys. History is an exciting and relevant subject that draws on children’s experiences and relates them to issues in the past. We strive to build an historical learning community that goes beyond the curriculum, fostering a spirit of enquiry and continual improvement.