Ashpark Primary School

Curricular Position Statement – Social Studies

Healthy         Hardworking       Caring          Kind

Why Social Studies?

Learning in the social studies will enable children and young people to:

• develop their understanding of the history, heritage and culture of Scotland, and an appreciation of the local and national heritage within the world.
• broaden understanding of the world by learning about human activities and achievements in the past and present.
• develop understanding of their own values, beliefs and cultures and those of others.
• develop understanding of the principles of democracy and citizenship through experience of critical and independent thinking.
• explore and evaluate different types of sources and evidence.
• learn how to locate, explore and link periods, people and events in time and place.
• learn how to locate, explore and link features and places locally and further afield.
• engage in activities which encourage enterprising attitudes.
• develop an understanding of concepts that stimulate enterprise and influence business.
• establish firm foundations for lifelong learning and for further specialised study and careers.

What Learning and Teaching Approaches are used?

At Ashpark Primary, we promote high quality learning and teaching in Social Studies.  Staff plan challenging and engaging learning experiences which motivate and sustain the interests of learners across the school.  Effective learning and teaching includes:

• Active learning to allow children to observe, experiment, experience and play.
• Using relevant contexts for learning to motivate and engage children.
• Appropriate and effective use of technology
• Building on the principles of Assessment is for Learning
• Collaborative and independent learning
• Discussion and informed debate
• Interdisciplinary learning experiences
• Learning outdoors, field trips, visits and input by external contributors.

How do children progress through Social Studies?

Staff use Ashpark’s Progression Pathway planner to create discrete and interdisciplinary learning experiences. From August 2023, class teachers will use the Glasgow City Council Programme of Study when planning, teaching and assessing Social Studies across the school. This progression pathways ensures breadth and depth of learning across Early, First and Second Levels. Learners will develop knowledge and skills through focussing on the key organisers of:

• People, Place and Environment,
• People, Past Events and Societies
• People in Society, Economy and Business

The organisers recognise the special contribution made by each of the social subjects.  At Ashpark, we encourage teachers to focus on local contexts in addition to national and international. Class teachers use this framework to provide children and young people with opportunities for effective interdisciplinary working by making connections across and between subjects.   Experiences and Outcomes are bundled to ensure relevance and coverage across each level of Curriculum for Excellence.

How are skills developed in Social Studies?

At Ashpark, the development of skills is an essential aspect of learning in Social Studies and the Experiences and Outcomes provide frequent opportunities for applying these skills in new and more complex contexts.  Through the Social Studies Programme at Ashpark Primary, children and young people will develop skills including:

observing, describing and recording exploring and evaluating different types of sources and evidence curiosity and problem-solving skills critical thinking through accessing, analysing and using information from a wide variety of sources in interpreting and displaying graphical representation of information presentation e.g. oral, written, multimedia.

comparing and contrasting to draw valid conclusions interacting with others planning and reviewing investigation strategies discussion and informed debate reasoned and justified points of view using maps in a variety of contexts developing an awareness of sequence and chronology

 

How do we assess Social Studies?

At Ashpark, assessment in Social Studies focuses on learner’s knowledge, understanding and skills in their studies of people, past events, society, place, environment, economy and business.

The purpose of assessment in Ashpark Primary is:

• To identify pupils’ strengths, attainments and development needs
• To decide on the next steps
• To provide effective feedback to pupils in order to move learning forward
• To allow effective reporting

In all classes, teaching staff use the Write, Say, Make or Do approach to allow learners to demonstrate their learning within Social Studies.

Staff at Ashpark assess pupil’s learning formatively within lessons using a wide range of strategies. Pupil’s learning is recorded digitally and in subject jotters and is shared more widely on platforms such as Seesaw and X (formerly Twitter). During session 23/24, our DLOL will be trialling recording assessment on ‘Showbie’ in the form of a learning journal.  Teachers create a yearly floorbook where each subject will be celebrated throughout the year; including pupil voice. Pupils also select pieces of BGE work they are proud of and keep these in their black assessment folders.

Using this evidence and teacher professional judgement, teachers will make informed decisions using the Social Studies Benchmarks about whether a learner has:

• Achieved a breadth of learning across the knowledge, understanding and skills as set out in the experiences and outcomes for the level
• Responded consistently well to the level of challenge set out in the experiences and outcomes for the level and has moved forward to learning at the next level in some aspects
• Demonstrated application of what they have learned in new and unfamiliar situations in order to achieve a level in Social Studies.

 

 

What is the link between Social Studies and other areas of the curriculum?

Social studies experiences and outcomes encourage links with other areas of learning to provide learners with a deeper, more enjoyable and active experience.   The promotion of active citizenship is a central feature of learning in social studies as children and young people develop skills and knowledge to enable and encourage participation. Within social studies, practitioners will plan opportunities for children and young people to become involved in their local community and the wider world to support them in considering and developing their roles as active and informed citizens.   All staff teaching social studies will identify opportunities to develop and reinforce social studies knowledge and skills both, within their own teaching activities and through working with their colleagues to plan interdisciplinary studies and a coherent approach to the development of literacy, numeracy, citizenship, creativity, enterprise and sustainability.

What key resources are used to support learning and teaching?

The key resources used throughout the school include:

• Glasgow City Council’s Social Studies Curriculum Framework
• https://education.gov.scot/improvement/learning-resources/curriculum-for-excellence-benchmarks/
• https://education.gov.scot/improvement/learning-resources/literacy-in-social-studies/
• https://education.gov.scot/improvement/learning-resources/numeracy-in-social-studies/
• Glasgow City Council Social Studies Curriculum Framework/Progression Pathway