Humanities at Jarvis Brook

At Jarvis Brook, we view Humanities as being the foundation upon which children base their understanding of the wider world. The remarkable range of skills, extensive learning opportunities and creative cross curricular links that it provides is something that we always look to develop both within our topic and across Maths and English wherever possible.

We see Humanities as having a unique role in the curriculum in being able to link effectively with and provide a strong sense of coherence with a range of other subjects, whilst at the same time fostering children’s curiosity about the world in which they live. We aim to use the subject as a vehicle to contribute towards children’s physical, intellectual, social and emotional development. Furthermore, Humanities enables children to understand their place in time, whilst also encouraging them to think about their aspirations and preparing them for their future as citizens in the diverse multi-cultural, multi-faith and multi-ethnic society they live in today.

At Jarvis Brook, we expect children to become confident, creative and independent learners who can explore the use of different knowledge and skills throughout topical learning. We seek to broaden children’s real-life experiences both inside and outside of school through educational visits, visitors, experimentation, exploration and discovery.

Through questioning, investigation and critical thinking, children are exploring their place in the world, as well as their own values and their responsibilities. By developing their historical skills, our children learn to understand the past. They gain a sense of time and chronology, and their place in world history. They develop important skills of identification, analysis and evaluation through examining evidence and sources with a critical eye. We equip our children with the tools to make sense of a complex and dynamically changing world. Pupils learn where places are, and about their different landscapes and climates. They learn how places and landscapes are formed, and how a diverse range of economies, societies and environments are interconnected.

We encourage children to ask questions, and have the opportunity to discuss with others; they deepen their understanding of how and why the world is the way it is, and how it could change in the future. The classroom is a safe space, where enquiry is welcome, and where tolerance and acceptance of all viewpoints is embraced.