As part of their history learning children are taught how to ….

• Sequence events chronologically with the use of dates and key events across periods
• Explore concepts through historical enquiry by asking and answering questions
• Interpret similar events in history and understanding that different versions of the same event exist
• Look at continuity and change to understand how the world has developed around us
• Understand the cause of significant events and the consequences thereafter
• Note similarities and differences from across periods and comparing them to our own lives
• Understand the significance of key events and the impact they have had on the world.

This is achieved through activities such as:

• Going on educational visits in the local area and places further afield in the UK.
• Working with artefacts to discover more about different periods
• Creating learning journeys as a class that explore lines of enquiry
• Using resources in all phases to bring to life abstract concepts such as the Stone Age, the Romans and Mayans.
• Linking our history work at school to the wider community so that pupils can draw upon experiences to link with their learning.
• Using primary and secondary sources to support teaching and learning.

In Early Years, history is related to ‘Knowledge and Understanding of the World’ as set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and it is about the children beginning to understand chronology, understand that things change over time such as the decay of fruit and vegetables or the ageing of a human being. Also, children begin to use time-related vocabulary to be able to sequence the past, present and future.

In Key Stage 1, history is about developing knowledge, skills and understanding relating to the children’s own experiences with a large focus on understanding chronology and the local community around them. This acts as the foundation so that when the children reach Key Stage 2, they have enough knowledge and experience to be able to learn about more abstract historical concepts, such as the Mayans, the Romans and the Stone Age more effectively.

In Key Stage 2, history is about developing knowledge, skills and understanding relating to different periods of history, intertwined with the development of more local topics. Pupils will begin to weigh up historical evidence and use historical terminology fluently in their lessons. By the time pupils reach the end of Year 6, they should have a clear understanding of the world around them and why it is the way it is whilst being able to judge the validity of certain information.