Ofsted

Ofsted reports into history, such as the 2011 History for All report as well as examples of good practice have provided insightful evidence as to what primary schools are doing well and where they can develop. The Ofsted History for All report of 2011 highlighted that history at Key Stage 2 was a popular subject and that content was well taught. However, knowledge was often without links and therefore episodic. Children were less likely to make progress in historical concepts and processes. In this section, you will find links to Ofsted research into history in English primary schools that provides a solid evidence base alongside HA surveys for those wishing to gather evidence for research, or to inform developmental planning.

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  • Co-ordinators' concerns: ICT and OFSTED

    Article

    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...

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  • Developing pupils' chronological understanding

    Article

    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,...

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  • Extending the curriculum: why should we consider ‘value added’?

    Article

    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...

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  • Film: Primary History and the Ofsted Inspection Framework

    Article

    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...

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  • Film: The new Ofsted education inspection framework (EIF) 2019

    Article

    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...

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  • Film: Unpicking the Ofsted subject report for history

    Article

    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...

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  • Museums, schools and creativity: How learning can be enhanced

    Article

    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'...

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  • Ofsted and primary history

    Article

    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...

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  • Ofsted research report into history 2021

    14th July 2021

    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...

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  • Ofsted: primary guidance 2019

    Article

    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...

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  • Processes, Chronological Understanding & Planning

    Article

    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...

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  • Research review series: History – July 2021

    Article

    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...

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  • Standards in primary history: onward and upward? A view from OFSTED

    Article

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

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  • The National Curriculum for History from September 2014: the view from Ofsted

    Article

    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...

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  • Unpicking the learning potential in creative approaches to studying World War II

    Article

    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....

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