Teachers across the school use a wide range of strategies that are linked to clear objectives in order to have a real impact on the knowledge and understanding of all pupils in history lessons. Teaching reveals a drive for independent investigative learning and strategies are sharply focused upon this. Evidence is clearly mapped to model and demonstrate progression and this evidence is used to inform teaching. Almost all pupils show evidence of effective learning of knowledge, concepts and processes in lessons. Topic pages are used consistently, with pupils returning to them to add key vocabulary, and exam-style questions are introduced only once content has been taught, so that GCSE technique does not drive the approach prematurely. In a lesson exploring what letters can tell us about the experience of migration to Britain, pupils worked with genuinely engaging primary source material and valued being able to hear migrants' personal perspectives; some scaffolding was provided to help pupils capture key information, although the notes provided on the board could be developed further to support different levels of ability, including pupils with SEND. Book scrutiny showed exceptionally well-organised books, with topic and enquiry sheets that capture the essence of each enquiry question at Key Stage 3 and vocabulary and information at Key Stage 4, allowing pupils to engage fully with their learning.

The school draws from a wide range of resources within its reach to deliver an innovative curriculum for pupils. Resources deployed consistently enhance learning across the school. The classroom environment and displays are engaging, clearly support learning and progression, and are used to that end. Teaching assistants are clearly integral to planning and delivery. Any available ICT is used to enhance learning and its use is supported by a clear rationale. These resources include a well-stocked library of academic reading for GCSE pupils curated by the subject leader, drop-everything-and-read sessions, and read/watch/listen lists that enrich every scheme of work. Scholarship underpins nearly every enquiry at Key Stage 3, and staff spoke with real enthusiasm about the impact of Historical Association Teacher Fellowship work on curriculum resources.

Pupil perceptions of the subject are sought and used to inform progress, curriculum design and subject development. Almost all pupils see the purpose and value in what they do, understand what they have to do and why they are being asked to do it. High levels of motivation can be seen across all classes. In discussion, Key Stage 3 pupils talked fluently about why history matters, how it shapes their understanding of the world, the value of learning from mistakes, and how much they appreciated human-scale examples and the study of local history. Key Stage 4 pupils gave a memorable example of a teacher extending a lesson on the Cold War beyond the specification to explain contemporary events in Afghanistan and spoke about valuing maps and other resources that help them visualise the past, both for the sake of literacy and for the wider perspective history gives them. The scale of pupil enthusiasm is reflected in uptake: seven classes are taking GCSE History next year (Year 10) and two classes have opted for A Level.

Pupils engage with consistently high-quality marking and feedback and use it to make outstanding progress in the subject. Pupils purposefully evaluate their work in a variety of ways and there are opportunities for them to reflect upon their work through self- and peer-assessment. A consistent “upgrading” model runs across the department, and parents are kept engaged through progress slips signed with pupils after each assessment point.

The evidence suggests that Learning and Teaching is at a Gold standard.

Targets:

1.2: To continue to develop scaffolding for pupils with SEND identified during the migration lesson observation, ensuring notes provided on the board are consistently detailed enough to support full access to source-based lessons.

There are reliable and consistent systems of organisation and management of the subject, and those involved in teaching history across the school display a shared understanding and commitment. The department is a stable team with a good mix of specialisms and experience, and a strong sense of collaboration and mutual support. Line management meetings are held as a matter of course, which means staff feel heard and developed. Department meetings are held with a focus on professional development rather than administrative tasks, an approach team members wholeheartedly appreciate. They described Pam bringing problems to the table for open discussion, being clearly aware of individual strengths across the team, delegating responsibility appropriately, and praising staff warmly – all evidence of a genuinely collegiate atmosphere.

The subject leader consistently provides highly effective strategic leadership. Standards in history are accurately identified and externally verified and shared with SLT and whole school. Self-evaluation for history is evident and development plans are based upon accurately and carefully identified needs and aspirations. Methods of monitoring impact are clearly identified and these are used effectively to measure progress. History teachers can evidence positive impact of changes made. There is strong evidence of continuous, scholarship-led curriculum review: the migration topic was moved from being taught as a single end-of-year unit to being threaded through all topics once this was identified as more effective, and the Year 7 curriculum was recently replanned after it was noted that pupils were less confident than older year groups when asked what questions historians ask of sources. The Russian Revolution was deliberately introduced into the Year 9 curriculum to provide context ahead of the Cold War unit – a good example of careful, evidence-informed sequencing across key stages.

The subject leader provides effective support for identified staff within the subject, through close mentoring and monitoring as appropriate. The subject leader provides regular opportunities for staff to expand their competence and carefully matches this to needs and aspirations. Teachers in the department are clearly encouraged to be leaders and are able to reflect upon their leadership skills. There is strong support for the subject leader and the subject from senior leadership. Staff turnover is very low, and new members of staff are supported through mentoring by more experienced colleagues. Pam is respected by all staff and worked closely with pastoral leads to support a Year 10 class that had had a genuinely difficult journey through the year.

History enjoys a high status in the school and the senior leadership of the school are supportive of the role that history plays in the curriculum. The school is recognised for the status of history within the wider community and the school works hard to maintain this profile beyond the school. History was shown as an exemplar of several pedagogical strategies in the feedback from a showcasing event by the school’ Pam and the team lead CPD across the whole school – for example on embedding revision strategies at Key Stage 4 and on disciplinary literacy – and Pam is proactive in approaching SLT to identify further opportunities to share the department's practice.

Parental engagement is sought through various mechanisms, for example, parental signatures on pupils’ progress slips, yet responses can be lacking. Nevertheless, the department has recently gone beyond this on occasion; for example, a history escape room event to which Year 6 and 7 parents were invited, which was very well received with over 150 sign-ups. Both the department and SLT recognise that parental engagement is a priority across the whole school.

The department actively seeks and develops partnerships beyond the school and participates in projects and/or initiatives that will enhance pupil experience as well as benefit the community. The history department plays an active role in disseminating and sharing practice with other schools in the community, including through PGCE and ITT training and active involvement in national research and committees such as the Historical Association's Secondary Committee.

Targets:

2.4: To continue and build on the mentoring already in place, to ensure full consistency of practice is embedded across all classrooms.

2.6: To develop a more systematic, whole-department approach to parental engagement, building on the success of the recent history escape room event.

Historical enquiry is used effectively to develop pupils' substantive and disciplinary knowledge. A Year 7 lesson observed was an excellent example of disciplinary teaching, with pupils working directly with academic scholarship and grappling with the concept that historians construct claims from evidence. Sixth Form pupils described how a visit to the National Archives, undertaken to deepen their understanding of the Russia A Level unit, had allowed them to progress in their historical thinking, since it let them engage more fully with British perspectives of Cold War relations – a challenge they said they had really enjoyed. A gap was identified in pupils' confidence in describing what questions historians ask of sources; the Year 7 curriculum has recently been replanned to address this directly.

History also features in other areas of the planned school curriculum. The department works creatively with other subject areas to exploit cross-curricular links in order to deepen learning in history and linked subjects. The history department ensures consistency and a smooth transition, through working with primary feeder schools. Leadership of the subject is coordinated across all phases with clear, deliberate pathways between key stages – for example, the Russian Revolution was added to the Year 10 curriculum specifically to provide context ahead of the Cold War unit at Key Stage 4.

The evidence suggests that Curriculum is at a Gold standard.

Targets:

3.3: To continue to embed and evaluate the impact of the recent Year 7 replanning on pupils' confidence with the questions historians ask of sources, across all year groups.

History has established tracking systems to assess, record and analyse progress, identify needs and targets, and provide history provision that can be personalised according to identified individual needs. The impact of any intervention is monitored. This extends beyond academic data: the Year 10 class discussed under Leadership was tracked closely for engagement and behaviour as well as attainment, with intervention – including close work with pastoral leads – shown to have had a clear, positive impact.

In addition, the department is able to evidence the impact of the use of strategies in enabling pupils to achieve or go beyond their targets. Pupil work clearly demonstrates a learning journey and continuity of progress. Retrieval practice and recapping were seen consistently across lessons, ‘go further’ sections provide stretch, and exam-style material is introduced only once knowledge is secure. The high-pace Year 10 lesson observed showed pupils confidently applying recalled knowledge to exam-question analysis, evidencing this continuity of progress.

An ethos where personal achievement in history for all pupils at all levels is evident across lessons, the department and, wherever possible, across the school. History's recognition as a ‘showcase department’ following the recent whole-staff training session is itself testament to the value placed on the team's and pupils' achievements.

The evidence suggests that Achievement is at a Gold standard.

Targets:

4.1: To continue to monitor and protect the smaller disadvantage gap in history as cohorts change.

History displays around the school, as well as in classrooms (such as the ‘LHS Historians’ panels), will highlight the enthusiasm for history and challenge of history, as well as the status of the subject. Displays will support and extend learning.

The department is proactive in supporting pupils in developing effective community links that have an impact on the learning and teaching in the subject within the school and wider community. There is evidence of wide use of learning outside of the classroom. The department has developed a close, ongoing partnership with the Museum of English Rural Life and the University of Reading, which has directly shaped curriculum resources. The Sixth Form visit to the National Archives, undertaken to enrich the Russia A Level unit, is a good further example of a community partnership with a direct and well-evidenced impact on the curriculum, as curricular development of Pam’s Fellowship (a local study connected to legacies of transatlantic slavery in Reading).

History enjoys a separate identity on the school website and/or VLE, which is actively and effectively used to promote the subject, good practice and learning to the audience in a variety of ways. Pupils' work and achievement is celebrated through the website. The website supports extended learning through links to further information/resources. The department maintains a detailed curriculum page setting out its principles and full curriculum overview across Key Stages 3 to 5, alongside a separate department site hosting resources to support pupils' learning and revision, including reading lists mapped to each historical period. This is complemented by an active social media presence covering trips, competitions and achievements.

The evidence suggests that Enrichment is at a Gold standard.

Targets:

5.4: To continue to broaden community partnerships beyond the current core relationship with the Museum of English Rural Life and the University of Reading, so that pupils benefit from a wider range of external links.