There is an expectation that we extensively use information technology across the curriculum. I don't mind this but I've always felt a bit uncomfortable. Using it with history always seems to compromise the quality of the history. I am worried though that if I don't I will get criticised both...

In its latest triennial history survey report, History for all, Ofsted concluded that, ‘history teaching was good or better in most primary schools' and, ‘most pupils reached the  end of Key Stage 2 with detailed knowledge derived from well-taught studies of individual topics'. The report went on to note, though,...

While the focus provided by the new Ofsted framework has allowed schools to begin to, perhaps, rebalance the curriculum, the time allocated to the foundation subjects is still fairly marginal in many schools. This means that hard decisions have to be taken about what to include and what to leave...

In May of 2021, Ofsted published a blog post of findings from visits carried out to 24 different primary schools in order to gather evidence as to the quality of history education provided by these outstanding schools. You can find the blog here: https://educationinspection.blog.gov.uk/2021/04/27/history-in-outstanding-primary-schools/  Areas of both strength and improvement were outlined, although the...

The film below was taken at the HA Annual Conference in Chester May 2019 and features Heather Fearn, Inspector Curriculum and Professional Development Lead, Ofsted. This session aimed to explain Ofsted’s approach to inspecting the curriculum under the new education inspection framework (EIF) that will come into effect in September 2019, with...

In this webinar, history teachers and consultants Stuart Tiffany and Kerry Somers and Senior lecturer in primary education at Liverpool John Moore's University, Ailsa Fidler discuss the July 2023 history subject report with Ofsted National Lead for history, Tim Jenner. In the course of the webinar discussion, the key messages...

What do we mean by creativity?In the last few years there has been an emphasis on the ‘creative curriculum', ‘creativity' and ‘creative teaching and learning', but there has not always been a shared understanding of what this means. This article uses the definition from ‘Creativity - find it, promote it'...

Firstly, I would like to introduce myself as Ofsted’s new Subject Lead for history. Despite the many challenges of the past year, it is an exciting time for history education. I am very pleased that the number of primary history teachers who are now part of the HA community has...

Ofsted writes: The study of history can bring pupils into a rich dialogue with the past and with the traditions of historical enquiry. In this report, Ofsted have: outlined the national context in relation to history considered curriculum progression in history, pedagogy, assessment and the impact of school leaders’ decisions on provision...

As we approach the introduction of the new Ofsted framework, it seems timely that we offer schools, subject leaders and teachers some guidance on how to approach the coming changes.  The call for a broad and balanced curriculum is given renewed emphasis in the new framework, but beyond that, curricula...

In this podcast Dr Hilary Cooper, Professor of History and Pedagogy at the University of Cumbria, looks at why teachers and students seem to enjoy primary history and discusses processes of enquiry, chronological understanding and planning a topic. 1. Ofsted Report History for All published in 2011 said that: "history taught in schools...

In this summary, Tim Lomas identifies key points presented in the history research review. Includes work of Ofsted Research and Evaluation Team.  1. More schools now seem to have adequate time for history. In primary, 1–2 hours a fortnight and in secondary, 2–4 hours. Provisional entries for 2021’s history GCSE...

An OFSTED advisor discusses their views on the standards of primary history.

IntroductionWith the publication on 11 September 2013 of the final version of the revised National Curriculum for September 2014, subject leaders and classroom teachers could start to consider the implications of the proposed changes. For history at Key Stages 1 and 2, some parts of the programmes of study are...

Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated. ‘The biggest issue for school history is its limited place in the curriculum.' (Ofsted, 2007) This central concern of Ofsted's 2007 report, History in the balance, could equally apply to the teaching of drama in primary schools....