History
History Curriculum Intent
Our history curriculum is designed to develop pupils’ curiosity about the past and help them to understand how the world they live in today has been shaped over time. Pupils are encouraged to ask questions, consider different viewpoints and develop their own ideas through engagement with historical evidence. The curriculum is carefully sequenced so that pupils build secure and connected knowledge of local, British and world history. Chronology is a key thread throughout the curriculum, enabling pupils to place events, people and periods in context and to understand change and continuity over time. Key historical concepts and vocabulary are revisited through intelligent repetition to support long-term retention and understanding.
Strong foundations for historical thinking are established in the early years through stories, discussion and exploration of the past, helping children to develop a sense of time and an awareness of similarities and differences. As pupils progress through the school, they build increasingly sophisticated historical knowledge and enquiry skills. Our history curriculum is ambitious and inclusive, designed to be accessible to all pupils, including those with SEND and those who may face barriers to learning. By the end of primary school, pupils will have a secure understanding of key historical knowledge, a developing sense of chronology and the confidence to ask questions, evaluate evidence and explain their understanding of the past.
History Subject Overview
The history subject overview provides an overview of the units taught in each year group across the academic year. It shows how historical knowledge is organised to support progression and retention over time.
How History is Taught
History is taught through a carefully sequenced curriculum that builds pupils’ knowledge over time and supports them to make meaningful connections between periods, events and people. New learning is explicitly linked to prior knowledge so that pupils develop a growing sense of chronology and historical understanding. Lessons are structured around clear explanations, discussion and the use of historical sources to help pupils ask questions, consider different viewpoints and develop their understanding of the past. Key vocabulary is explicitly taught and revisited to support pupils in talking and writing about history with increasing confidence.
In the early years, children begin to develop historical understanding through discussion about their own lives and experiences, including families, growing up and changes over time. Timelines are used to support children in understanding the passing of time, with key events added and revisited throughout the year. Children are encouraged to reflect on what has already happened and to compare their experiences as they grow, providing strong foundations for later historical learning.
Adaptive Teaching
Our history curriculum is designed to be inclusive and accessible to all pupils, including those with SEND and those who may face barriers to learning. Adaptations are made through high-quality teaching so that all pupils can access the same historical content. New periods and events are often introduced through stories and rich visual material to support understanding and engagement. Timelines, images and historical sources are used to help pupils develop a sense of chronology and context, with sources adapted where appropriate to highlight key information. Historical vocabulary is explicitly taught and supported through visual cues to aid understanding and recall.
Pupils are supported to explore and interpret historical sources through guided prompts, discussion and modelling. Opportunities such as role play and drama are used to help pupils understand historical events and viewpoints. Where appropriate, pupils may be supported through structured sentence starters or alternative ways to demonstrate understanding, including oral responses, rather than extended written work. Unfamiliar cultural or historical concepts are introduced carefully, with pre-teaching and discussion used to support pupils’ understanding and confidence.
Impact
The impact of our history curriculum is that pupils develop a secure understanding of key historical knowledge and are able to talk about the past using appropriate historical vocabulary. Pupils can place events, people and periods within a developing sense of chronology and make connections between different aspects of history. They are confident to ask questions, consider different viewpoints and use historical sources to support their understanding. By the end of primary school, pupils have a strong foundation of historical knowledge and enquiry skills, preparing them well for further study of history and for understanding the world around them.
History Enrichment
Historical learning is enriched through planned experiences that bring the past to life and deepen pupils’ understanding beyond the classroom. Educational visits and visitors are used to strengthen pupils’ knowledge of historical periods and support them in making meaningful connections with what they learn in lessons.
In Key Stage 1, pupils’ learning is enhanced through curriculum-linked visitors, such as a visit from the fire brigade to support learning about the Great Fire of London. Year 2 pupils explore local history through their study of the local area, developing an understanding of how places have changed over time.
In Key Stage 2, pupils take part in educational visits to support their study of significant historical periods. These include visits to World Museum Liverpool to enhance learning about ancient civilisations and a visit to Western Approaches Museum to support pupils’ understanding of World War Two.
These enrichment opportunities help pupils to engage with historical evidence, deepen their understanding of the past and develop their curiosity and enthusiasm for history.