Intent

Our history curriculum is designed to offer pupils a coherent, structured exploration of the past, enriched through a range of experiences. It aims to understand the impact of historic events and figures on the world we live in today.

As historians, our curriculum encourages children to:

• Develop a knowledge of people, events and contexts from a broad range of historical periods.
• Engage with a variety of historical evidence and sources to find out about the past.
• Develop curiosity through questioning about the past.
• Critically evaluate historical information and effectively communicate their understanding.

We’re committed to ensuring continuity and progression across all year groups, tailoring learning to cater to the needs of all pupils and fostering an inclusive environment. Historical vocabulary is carefully woven through our curriculum as a foundation for developing a rich understanding of history.

Implementation

Our history curriculum is planned to ensure that learning is sequential and builds on prior learning, providing a clear progression from EYFS through to Key Stage 2. Starting with the familiar and everyday historical contexts in EYFS, such as understanding significant dates and celebrations like Guy Fawkes Night, we lay the groundwork for historical curiosity and understanding.

As pupils progress to Key Stage 1, the curriculum expands to explore changes within living memory, and the lives of notable historical figures, setting a solid base for more complex historical study. Key Stage 2 then broadens this foundation, delving into British history and the rich tapestries of ancient civilisations such as the Mayans and Greeks. This structured approach not only sharpens their historical knowledge but also encourages a global perspective and deepens their enquiry skills.

Our planning is designed to connect new knowledge with what students have previously learned, whilst considering the complexities of mixed-aged classes. To bring learning to life and develop an historical mindset, we use historical enquiry questions. These questions are supported by an emphasis on historical vocabulary and the understanding of core historical concepts, such as invasion and settlement. Each unit is a balance of gaining knowledge about the historical theme covered (substantive knowledge) and having the opportunity to develop their skills as an historian (disciplinary knowledge), ensuring students not only know about history but think like historians.

Impact

Our history curriculum’s emphasis on explicit skill teaching allows for continuous assessment of learning, for both teachers and pupils, throughout each lesson. At the beginning of each topic, pupils engage with an enquiry question, initiating their exploration with an enquiry page that captures their initial understanding. This starting point serves as a live document, revisited throughout the topic, enabling pupils to concretely see their knowledge expansion as they learn new information.

The culmination of each unit is a reflective and creative exercise where pupils summarise their learning in relation to the initial enquiry question. They produce a double-page spread that showcases their understanding and the depth of their historical knowledge. This process not only demonstrates their individual learning journey but also ensures a clear understanding of historical concepts and an ability to think critically about the past.