Curriculum Statement for History
The teaching and learning of history allows children to explore their past as well as learn from this to make a better future for themselves and their peers. Our history curriculum will delve into rich and relevant learning opportunities which will focus on Britain’s past and the wider world around us. Our knowledge curriculum ensures children can recall key facts about historical periods as well as ensuring our teaching and learning enables them to:
- Ask questions and explore different societies and cultures.
- Interpret evidence and sources we have from the past to understand what this tells us.
- Understand the impact of changes on people and place.
EYFS
Our Pre-School and Reception children are expected to:
- Talk about the lives of people around them and in their roles in society.
- Know some similarities and differences between things in the past and now, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class.
- Understand the past through settings, characters and events encountered in books read in class and storytelling.
Children will discuss and understand that they were once babies and how, over time, they have grown into young children. This is exploited further in everyday talk and play and by discussing events which happened yesterday or in the previous week.
Key Stage One
The National Curriculum 2014 states programmes of study to be delivered in KS1 and KS2. We have tailored these programmes of study to suit our children within their local area, ensuring learning is relevant to them.
In Key Stage 1 children are taught about:
- Changes within living memory and changes in national life.
- Events beyond living memory that are nationally or globally significant.
- The lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements, e.g. Beatrix Potter.
- Significant historical events, people and places in our own locality, e.g. Leyland trucks for History of transport.
Key Stage Two
In Key Stage 2 children are taught about:
- In relation to Britain; the Stone Age to the Iron Age, the Roman Empire, the Anglo Saxons and Scots, the Vikings and local studies on the Victorians relating to the local county.
- Ancient civilizations including Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt and a non-European society, e.g. The Maya.
- Significant world events and themes, including the First and Second World Wars and the transatlantic slave trade.
Inclusion within History
History is a subject enjoyed by all learners and so it must be taught inclusively to ensure that all pupils can access, engage with and achieve success within the subject. In line with our Teaching and Learning Policy, teachers use adaptive teaching strategies to provide appropriate support and challenge while maintaining high expectations for all learners. In accordance with NASEN guidance, barriers to learning are identified and reduced through carefully planned adaptations, flexible teaching approaches and the provision of appropriate support, rather than through a reduced curriculum. This may include adaptations such as pre-teaching key vocabulary, images and videos to support understanding, simpler or more detailed texts, thorough recaps of previous learning at the start of lessons as well as opportunities to address misconceptions. This approach promotes inclusion, engagement and achievement for all learners. As our school community is predominantly White British, we have deliberately included the study of the transatlantic slave trade to broaden pupils' understanding of diversity, equality and inclusion, ensuring they are exposed to a range of cultures, experiences and historical perspectives, including the challenges and injustices faced by different communities.
Assessment
All history units begin with a pre-unit assessment to establish pupils' prior knowledge and identify their starting points. At the end of each unit, pupils complete a post-unit assessment which enables them to demonstrate the knowledge and understanding they have acquired.
Ongoing formative assessment is an integral part of history teaching and learning. Teachers regularly assess pupils' understanding throughout lessons using our teaching and learning policy strategies. These include questioning, discussion and carefully planned hinge questions, allowing misconceptions to be identified and addressed promptly.
At the end of each history unit, teachers make a judgement against age-related expectations, assessing pupils as:
- Working Towards Age-Related Expectations (WT)
- Working At Age-Related Expectations (ARE)
- Working Above Age-Related Expectations (MA)
An overall summative judgement for history is informed by assessment outcomes across all units taught during the academic year. Assessment information is analysed by teachers, school leaders and the subject leader to monitor attainment and progress, identify strengths and areas for development, and inform future curriculum planning and improvement.
Enrichment Opportunities within School
History is brought to life through a range of enrichment opportunities that enable pupils to develop a deeper understanding of the past through first-hand experiences. Educational visits form an important part of the history curriculum and may include museum visits and workshops, such as Ancient Egypt experiences at Liverpool World Museum, visits to the seaside to explore the history of traditional seaside resorts and piers, and trips to the Imperial War Museum, where pupils can engage with authentic artefacts and immersive exhibitions that help them understand life during significant historical periods. These experiences provide valuable context for classroom learning and support pupils in making meaningful connections with the past.
In addition, the school makes use of history loan boxes containing genuine and replica artefacts from different time periods. These resources provide pupils with opportunities for hands-on investigation and enquiry, helping to develop historical curiosity, questioning skills and a deeper appreciation of how people lived in the past.
Last reviewed: June 2026
Subject leader: Linsey Hankin
The subject leader can be contacted via the school office. Tel: 01772 433641
