Welcome to History!
Our History curriculum is intentionally knowledge-rich and coherently sequenced. In history, this means pupils acquire a deep balance of substantive knowledge (the explicit events, dates, and figures of the past) and disciplinary concepts (how historians analyse evidence, causation, significance, change, and interpretation).
Rather than viewing topics in isolation, each unit of work acts as a critical chapter in an interconnected story, providing pupils with a chronologically secure framework of local, British, and world history.
Core Curriculum Principles
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Rigorous Chronology: We use a systematic chronological approach to anchor units within a wider, continuous grand narrative, allowing children to master historical causation.
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Interleaved Concepts: Key substantive concepts—such as 'empire', 'monarchy', and 'civil war'—are intentionally repeated across different contexts so that learning is systematically built upon prior knowledge.
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Analytical Depth: We prioritize depth over superficial coverage. Pupils move from establishing solid political context to evaluating the cultural, social, and religious complexities of ordinary lives.
The Evolution of Power: A Case Study in Progression
To demonstrate how our curriculum maps progression, children systematically track the concept of the British Monarchy from Year 1 through to Key Stage 2:
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Early Foundations: Exploring the lives and absolute authority of early monarchs like Henry II and Henry VIII.
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Turning Points: Analyzing the shifting power dynamics during the reign of Elizabeth I, the sealing of the Magna Carta (1215), and the 'Glorious Revolution' (1688).
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Modern Context: Evaluating the transition from absolute, autocratic power to the limited constitutional role of contemporary British monarchs, analyzing the long-term legacy on ordinary citizens.
Rationale & Regional Progression
British & Local History (Every Year)
Children study at least one major unit of British history annually, focusing on pivotal turning points that shaped modern Britain—such as the 'Break with Rome' or the rise of the British Empire. In Year 5, for example, pupils study the Victorians, analyzing political and legal reforms before utilizing primary sources to understand local impact. Teachers seamlessly embed regional context into every unit, allowing children to situate local heritage within the national story.
World History & Global Empires
Pupils expand their horizons to the wider world, exploring fascinating ancient civilisations, the expansion and dissolution of global empires, and the achievements and atrocities of humankind. Crucial units like The Early British Empire and the Transatlantic Slave Trade explicitly examine Britain’s profound influence on the wider world, and conversely, how global events have shaped modern British society.
Disciplinary Thinking: Thinking Like a Historian
Our curriculum teaches children that the past is actively constructed and contested. Pupils progress from handling basic primary sources and simplified perspectives in Key Stage 1 to framing perceptive historical inquiries, evaluating complex source reliability, and developing objective historical perspective in Upper Key Stage 2.
The Capstone: A Diverse Historical Legacy
Our curriculum is meticulously curated to ignite a lifelong love for history while perfectly preparing pupils for Key Stage 3. Pupils explore everything from invasion, migration, and technological advances to exploitation and political movements for freedom. Ultimately, they are introduced to a rich, diverse tapestry of historical figures—from widely venerated leaders to the less well-known ordinary individuals who offer deep insight into the past—including Aristotle, Henry VIII, Queen Victoria, Emmeline Pankhurst, Martin Luther King, and Alan Turing.
