Our History Curriculum
At St Mary’s, we are committed to fostering an environment which will inspire pupils’ curiosity about the past, equip them with the level of knowledge required to think critically and ask pertinent questions about the past and allow them to develop historical perspective and judgement.
We want all of our pupils to gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. That is why at St Mary’s, History is taught alternately with Geography each half term, adhering to the National Curriculum requirements through our structured Long-Term Plan.
History is taught on a weekly basis with all lessons lasting one hour. The Long-Term Plan has been meticulously mapped out, with the careful consideration of our childrens’ needs at the very forefront of all planned teaching and learning opportunities. In Key Stage 1 pupils will begin to grapple with the foundations of History and be introduced to the disciplinary strands of historical study (continuity and change, chronology, difference and significance, historical enquiry and cause and consequence). Accordingly, in Key Stage 2 the children will study more complex topics, using all of their prior knowledge to support their ability to understand, whilst starting to demonstrate a mastery of the aforementioned disciplinary strands, which are derived from the National Curriculum.
To support the development of historical skills, St Mary’s subscribes to the Historical Association and utilises additional resources to identify key ‘sticky knowledge’ for effective learning.
History is assessed at three points during the year, at the end of each term, and progress is monitored routinely. Adaptive teaching strategies are employed in a coordinated manner throughout the whole school, so that potential pupil barriers are anticipated and addressed.
Our History curriculum is enriched through workshops, off-site educational visits and the use of our outdoor learning spaces, including the playground timeline, providing hands-on learning experiences across all phases.
History Documents
Please view the additional documents in school:
- History Knowledge and Skills Progression
- History Vocabulary Progression
- History Knowledge Organisers
- History Unit Markers
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