Understanding and Teaching Primary History

Primary history is one of the richest areas of teaching and learning, but in order to teach it well you need a strong understanding of key historical concepts and the content of the national curriculum.

Combining a detailed focus on the core skills and principles underpinning good history teaching, this book will help you to:

·         appreciate the key concepts that underpin historical understanding

·         engage deeply with the programmes of study for Key Stage 1 and 2

·         understand the links between historical reasoning and constructivist accounts of how children learn

·         apply a cross-curricular approach to your teaching

·         assess children’s historical understanding 

James Percival studied history and philosophy as an undergraduate, and subsequently trained as a primary teacher with history as his specialist subject. After a 10-year teaching career in several Oxfordshire schools, having taught in both key stages, acted as curriculum coordinator and mentored teacher trainees and Newly Qualified Teachers, he transferred into teacher training at Oxford Brookes University in 2004. James has subsequently worked with trainee teachers across several programmes whilst developing a research profile in primary history pedagogy. His doctorate centred on the curriculum management of history in primary schools.