It is often helpful have a short list of key historical skills which is neither too daunting nor too convoluted. Here is one such list.
But where do you think it comes from? Read it first…
- acquiring a broad range of historical knowledge and understanding, including a sense of development over time, and an appreciation of the culture and attitudes of societies other than our own;
- evaluating critically the significance and utility of a large body of material, including evidence from contemporary sources and the opinions of more recent historians;
- engaging directly with questions and presenting independent opinions about them in arguments that are well-written, clearly expressed, coherently organised and effectively supported by relevant evidence;
- gaining the confidence to undertake self-directed learning, making the most effective use of time and resources, and increasingly defining one’s own questions and goals.
It could be any good KS2/3 school history policy . It is actually from the University of Cambridge history department describing which skills undergraduates will acquire after following a 3-year course!
