History

Think like historians

Our History curriculum aims to inspire pupils to become curious and analytical thinkers with a broad understanding of the past – in other words, to think like historians. The intention is for pupils to develop the confidence to question and investigate evidence, explore different perspectives and build informed interpretations of events, people and societies.

The curriculum aims to build pupils’ awareness of how History shapes identities, cultures and communities over time. The intent is to inspire them to become reflective, active citizens who can draw on historical understanding to make sense of the present and contribute thoughtfully to the future.

The curriculum is designed to be both accessible and ambitious for mixed age classes, ensuring all learners’ full participation and potential achievement.

The five strands

Based on the aims of the National curriculum, the following five strands have been identified, which run throughout the History curriculum:

Based on the aims of the National curriculum, the following five strands have been identified, which run throughout the History curriculum:

  • Topic knowledge.
  • Chronological awareness.
  • Substantive (abstract) concepts – This refers to the content within History learning; the knowledge of the past. Pupils study the key events, people and ideas from a variety of historical periods.
  • Disciplinary concepts – This refers to a knowledge of how historians investigate the past and how they construct historical claims, arguments and accounts.
  • Historical enquiry

The History curriculum has been planned with these strands running through each unit, ensuring balanced coverage of the different areas of History and both substantive and disciplinary knowledge.

Personal Development in History

Our curriculum supports Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development by encouraging pupils to

  • Explore different perspectives.
  • Reflect on ethical issues.
  • Collaborate with others.
  • Appreciate cultural diversity through subject-specific content.

British values

Lessons promote British values (democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance) by incorporating activities that encourage debate, respect for differing opinions and an understanding of societal structures.

Cultural capital

Our History curriculum broadens pupils’ experiences by introducing them to significant individuals, historical contexts and diverse cultures and traditions.

The curriculum helps ensure pupils gain the knowledge and skills needed to understand the past and engage meaningfully in society today.

Spiral Curriculum

Our History scheme incorporates a spiral curriculum model, ensuring that pupils revisit and develop their understanding of key themes and concepts as they progress.

This approach allows them to make meaningful connections, reinforce their learning and achieve mastery over time.

  • Revisiting key concepts – pupils encounter the same ideas multiple times throughout their education, with each revisit adding more complexity.
  • Progressive depth – concepts are not just repeated but expanded upon, helping pupils to make connections and develop a richer understanding over time.
  • Knowledge retention – regular exposure to key ideas strengthens memory and prevents knowledge from being forgotten.
  • Skill development – pupils refine and apply their skills in different contexts, improving their ability to think critically and solve problems.
  • Adaptive learning – by building on prior knowledge, the curriculum meets pupils at their current level and supports all learners, including those who need extra reinforcement and those who are ready for greater challenges.

 Assessment

Formative

Our Science lessons include ongoing assessment opportunities, such as questioning, retrieval practice and interactive activities. These enable teachers to assess understanding in real time and adapt their teaching accordingly.

Summative

Each unit provides an Assessment quiz and Knowledge catcher, which allow teachers to measure pupils’ understanding at key points.These tools help gauge how well pupils have retained key knowledge and skills over time.

Please find useful links below

History Long term plan
History Long term plan
History Progression of Skills & Knowledge
History Progression of Skills & Knowledge
Vocabulary Progression
History Vocabulary Progression

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