St Aidan’s Voluntary-Controlled Primary School in Haringey, London, recently underwent an Ofsted inspection to assess the quality of education provided, particularly in the subject of history. The inspection, conducted under section 8 of the Education Act 2005, aimed to understand the educational standards in outstanding primary schools. The findings reaffirm the school’s overall effectiveness as outstanding, as determined in the last section 5 inspection.
The inspection revealed several strengths and areas for improvement in the history curriculum at St Aidan’s. The history curriculum aligns well with the national curriculum, ensuring all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), have access to a comprehensive history education. The curriculum for Year 1 effectively builds on foundational knowledge acquired in Nursery and Reception, demonstrating a coherent progression in learning.
Pupils exhibit a clear enthusiasm for history, engaging deeply with topics such as the Great Fire of London. They can articulate their learning and place historical events in chronological order, utilizing timelines they have created to understand the sequence of historical periods from the Stone Age to the 20th century. However, significant weaknesses were identified in the history curriculum. Leaders have not sufficiently defined the core content that pupils should know and understand by the end of each topic, leading to lower expectations from teachers. Opportunities for pupils to write in-depth about historical topics are limited, and they rarely engage in constructing responses to historically valid questions.
The planning of the curriculum lacks clarity in how to develop pupils’ disciplinary knowledge. Teachers are left with too much discretion, resulting in inconsistencies in how concepts such as significance, causation, and continuity and change are taught. While pupils can order events chronologically, their understanding lacks depth, and they are not encouraged to analyze similarities, differences, or trends across different historical periods.
Teachers strive to foster pupils’ understanding of historical enquiry methods, utilizing resources from local libraries. However, the curriculum does not adequately support this aspect, leading to formulaic responses that lack depth and rigor. There is noted confusion among leaders regarding the distinction between methods of historical enquiry and the construction of historical interpretations.
Recognizing the need for improvement, St Aidan’s has decided to pilot a new history curriculum in Year 3 starting in the Spring term of 2020. This new curriculum, developed by experienced educators from the history teaching community, aims to enhance the quality of history education and address the identified weaknesses.
St Aidan’s is a one-form entry primary school with a nursery for three-year-olds, serving a diverse population with a higher-than-average proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and those with SEND, including many with education, health, and care plans. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is below average.
The Ofsted inspection highlights both commendable practices and critical areas for development within the history curriculum at St Aidan’s. The school’s commitment to enhancing its educational offerings, particularly through the upcoming curriculum pilot, reflects a proactive approach to ensuring all pupils receive a robust and engaging history education.
This letter will be shared with the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner, and the director of children’s services for Haringey. It will also be published on the Ofsted website for public access.
