History

Our History curriculum meets all the requirements of the National Curriculum (2014): National Curriculum – History key stages 1 to 2 (publishing.service.gov.uk).

We are also members of the Historical Association: Historical Association – the UK national charity for history, and we use our membership to access resources and CPD.

Our history curriculum covers the key historical concepts of:

• Civilisation and Society
• Significant Figures
• Legacy and Impact
• Empire and Invasion

Intent

History learning begins in EYFS, where children start to discuss the world around them, including the differences between the past and present, with particular focus on their own life story and family’s history. Children are introduced to different occupations, including jobs in the local community, as well as jobs that people in their family may do or may have done in the past. Children continue to identify similarities and differences between the past and now, by also studying homes and transport and how these have changed over time. They also touch on schools, which is built upon further in Year 1.  

Through stories, songs, rhymes and poetry, children in EYFS are also exposed to and learn about significant figures from the past, for example, Guy Fawkes.

Continuing with a local focus on history, Year 1 begin the year by looking at how school life has changed from the Victorian era to now. They visit a Victorian classroom for the day to understand what a school day was like for a Victorian child, and they compare this to school-life now. Through this unit, children are introduced to primary sources, which they use to find out about the past.

Children in Year 1 also study Kings, Queens and Castles and visit Conisbrough Castle to find out about castle life and make comparisons to life today. Through this unit, children are also introduced to secondary sources, which they use to find out about life in the past.

In Year 2, our history focus expands geographically as we look at a key event in UK history: The Great Fire of London. Children focus on chronology in more detail as they consider the events which led up to and included the Great Fire. Through learning about the Great Fire of London, children consider how an important national event affects our lives even today, as learn about the changes that were made following the fire to prevent such a disaster from happening again.

In addition to key events from history, we also look at significant figures in Year 2: Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole. Children use both primary and secondary sources in to find out about and ask questions about these significant figures from our past, including the impact they have had on our medical profession.

From KS2, our history curriculum is sequenced chronologically, so that each class is taught about both British history and world history, across the year.

In Year 3/4 and Y4/5, children study the period covering the Stone Age to the Iron Age, with a focus on civilisation and society. They learn about what life was like in the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic eras, as well as the Bronze Age and Iron Age.

Children in these classes also study Ancient Egypt and compare this ancient civilisation to that of Stone Age to Iron Age Britain. Empire and invasion is also a key thread highlighted throughout this unit, as well as significant figures, which continue to develop through Key Stage 2, with units on the Romans, Ancient Greece, and Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, as well as Early Islamic Civilisation, World War II, plus a localhistory study on mining, in Year 6.

Every unit studied across school links to civilisation and society, and the legacy and impact this has had on our lives today.

Progression

History LTP 2023-2025

History is taught through the units as outlined in the long-term plan. Each class covers two or three units of history across the year. In KS2, this builds chronologically and consists of both British History and World History.

Each history lesson starts with a knowledge check during which children recap prior learning. This could link to the current unit, or a previously studied unit.

Following this, children are introduced to new learning, which has come from a carefully considered sequence, in which small steps have been identified. This ensures that new knowledge builds on prior learning and that the key concepts are woven through the History curriculum. This spiral curriculum approach means key concepts are revisited each year, through studying different eras.

Breakdown of Key Historical Concepts

 Impact

Assessment in History is formative. Children are assessed against the end points as written in our sequence of learning documents.

An example of our sequence of learning can be seen, below:

Other Useful Websites and Information

Ofsted Research and Analysis – Rich encounters with the past: history subject report – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Ofsted History Research Review – Research review series: history – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

If you would like to know more about our history curriculum, please email Mrs Whiteley, our Wider Curriculum Ambassador –

d.whiteley@smat.org.uk