History

Our history curriculum is thoughtfully aligned with the National Curriculum, offering an engaging and challenging exploration of Britain’s past and the wider world. We empower our pupils to become confident, curious, and reflective historians, developing a solid understanding of key historical events, concepts, and themes.

Through immersive lessons, pupils investigate the complexity of people’s lives, the forces driving societal change, the rich diversity of communities, and the connections between them. By exploring their own identity within this broader historical context, pupils gain critical skills to evaluate evidence, ask perceptive questions, and develop a lifelong passion for learning about the past.

Early Years (Reception)

Our Early Years curriculum sparks a love for history by connecting children to their own stories and those of their families. Through hands-on activities like exploring artefacts, images, and characters from stories, children begin to understand how the past influences their present. By end of the year, they confidently share their family history using simple chronological vocabulary, igniting a lifelong curiosity about history.

Key Stage 1 (Years 1-2)

We nurture budding historians by encouraging children to ask questions such as “What happened?” and “How long ago was this”? Through artefacts, pictures and stories, they uncover the lives of historical figures and events, learning how history is represented. Using timelines and terms like past and present, they develop an understanding of when and why things happened, leaving this stage inspired to learn more.

Lower Key Stage 2 (Years 3-4)

We immerse pupils in Britain’s history from ancient to medieval times, as well as local and global perspectives. They explore societal changes and diversity while using critical thinking to analyse evidence and describe different viewpoints. By examining causes, consequences, and connections, they gain a nuanced understanding of history, equipped with vocabulary and inquiry skills to communicate their discoveries.

Upper Key Stage 2 (Years 5-6)

Pupils become adept at exploring historical timelines, understanding periods of rapid change and continuity, and analysing evidence to form hypotheses. They delve into topics like human settlements and the Windrush Era, developing the skills to critically evaluate historical narratives. By the end of this stage, they confidently approach history with curiosity and insight, ready to analyse the world through a historical lens.