History at St Mary’s

Statements in black: Guidance of skills and knowledge to cover within each unit of work.  

Statements in red: Taken directly from the National Curriculum.

Intent of our History Curriculum

Our high-quality History education at St Mary’s aims to inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past, developing a knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. Pupils should develop key skills including asking perceptive questions, thinking critically, weighting up evidence, sifting arguments and developing perspective and judgement.

 This will support our vision that our pupils are curious about the world within and beyond their own community.   The study of history enables pupils to gain insights and understanding of the past and broadens their cultural capital and supports a better understanding of the traditions of others.  

The Aims of our History Curriculum at St. Mary’s:

To ensure that all pupils: 

• Know and understand history as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day: how people’s lives have changed the nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world.
• Know and understand significant aspect of history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution of empires; characteristic features of past non-European societies; achievements and follies of mankind.
• Gain and deploy a historically grounded understanding of abstract terms such as ‘empire’, ‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and ‘peasantry’.
• Understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity and difference and use them to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, pose historically-valid questions and create their own structured accounts, including written accounts and analyses.
• Understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed.
• Gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history; and between short-term and long-term timescales.

The Impact of out History Curriculum at St. Mary’s: 

Pupils will develop: 

• the ability to think critically about history and communicate ideas very confidently in styles appropriate to a range of audiences
• a respect for historical evidence and the ability to make robust and critical use of it to support their explanations and judgements
• the ability to think, reflect, debate, discuss and evaluate the past, formulating and refining questions and lines of enquiry
• an excellent knowledge and understanding of people, events and contexts from a range of historical periods and of historical concepts and processes, appreciating each one as equally valid and important in the grand scheme of human development and achievement
• a desire to embrace challenging activities, including opportunities to undertake high-quality research across a range of history periods
• Develop a passion for history and an enthusiastic engagement in learning, which develops their sense of curiosity about the past and their understanding of how and why people interpret the past in different way 

Early Years Foundation Stage Knowledge and Skills Progression

Children at the expected level of development will:

• talk about the lives of the people around them and 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 talk about past and present events in their own lives and in the lives of family members. They know that other children don’t always enjoy the same things, and are sensitive to this. They know about similarities and differences between themselves and others, and among families, communities and traditions

• Effective pedagogy is a mix of different approaches. Children learn through play, by adults modelling, by observing each other, and through guided learning and direct teaching:
• playing and exploring - children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’
• active learning - children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements
• creating and thinking critically - children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things

Area of Learning and Development:

Understanding the World  - Past and Present/People and Communities

Learning Opportunities

ELG: Talk about members of their immediate family and community

• Offer opportunities for children to talk about their own family, share photographs and talk about what they see in pictures.
• Use story books helps show pupils that there are different types of family. The best books will mostly be familiar to you:
• Offer opportunities for young children to handle familiar objects such as phones, car keys etc and make simple deductions about which member of the family might own them

Experience Days/ Trips / Visits/Visitors/Resources

Key Stage History topics: Growing Up; When I was Young

KSH session: Muddle Bags

Once There Were Giants by Martin Waddell 

The Growing Story by Ruth Krauss and Helen Oxenbury ( Harper Collins 2016)

https://www.keystagehistory.co.uk/keystage-1/teaching-myself-key-stage-1/

ELG: Name and describe people who are familiar to them

• Simple family tree
• Children match everyday objects to the family members who might use them

Experience Days/ Trips / Visits/Visitors/Resources

Key Stage History: Teaching Myself – Muddled Bags

‘My Two Grannies’ by Floella Benjamin

ELG: Comment on images of familiar situations in the past

• Investigate nursery rhymes
• Local area visit
• Contrast events such as Bonfire Night today with the same event in the past
• Investigating homes

Experience Days/ Trips / Visits/Visitors/Resources

KS History –Using nursery rhymes to develop thinking skills

KS History Smart Tasks – Bonfire Night When Granny was a Girl

‘The house the Once Was’ – Julie Fogliano

ELG: Compare and contrast characters from stories, including figures from the past

Investigate memories in the context of Poppy Day

Investigate characters form books

Experience Days/ Trips / Visits/Visitors/Resources

‘Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge’ by Mem Fox

‘Grandma’s Bill’ by  Martin Waddell 

‘My Great Grandpa’ by Martin Waddell

KEY STAGE 1

Years 1 and 2 -  Knowledge and Skills Progression

Progression in History skills over the two year cycle

Chronology:

• sequence event or objects  in chronological order
• sequence artefacts closer together in time
• sequence events
• sequence photos from different  periods of their life
• describe memories of key events in their lives

• begin to show where people and events fit into a broad chronological framework.

Range and Depth of Historical Knowledge:

• begin to describe similarities and differences in artefacts
• drama – show how and why people did things in the past
• use a range of sources to find out characteristic features of the past
• find out about people and events in other times
• confidently describe similarities and differences between collections of artefacts
• describe similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods
• develop empathy and understanding 

Historical Enquiry:

• Understand some ways we find out about the past e.g pictures, stories, websites.
• ask and answer questions, using part of stories and other sources to show that they know and understand key features of events
• Communicate understanding of the past in a variety of ways e.g captions, drawings/ artwork, written work, drama etc

Interpretations of History:

• begin to identify different ways to represent the past (photos, stories, adults talking about the past)  
• compare pictures or photos of people or events in the past
• identify different ways to represent the past
• relate his/her own account of an event and understand that others may give a different version

Organisation and Communication: 

timelines ( 3D with objects/ sequential pictures); drawing; drama/role play; writing ( reports, labelling. simple recount); ICT; class display/ museum; annotated photographs

Cycle A ( 2021 to 2022)

National Curriculum coverage:

Pupils should :

• develop an awareness of the past
• use common words and phrases relating to the passing of time
• use a wide vocabulary of everyday historical terms.
• ask and answer questions, using parts of stories and other sources to show that they know and understand key features of events.
• identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods

• understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which the past is represented.

Pupils should be taught about: 

• changes within living memory, where appropriate, these should be used to reveal aspects of change in national life

Pupils should be taught about: 

• events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally
• significant historical events, people and places in their own locality
• lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements. Some should be used to compare aspects of life in different periods

Pupils should be taught about:

• events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally
• significant historical events, people and places in their own locality
•  

Autumn

Spring

Summer

Changes within living memory - Toys

Significant individuals:

 Amy Johnson The Wright Brothers Amelia Earhart  Eugene Jacques Billard

Events beyond living memory: The First Flight 

Local History - The story of our High Street

Experience Days/ Trips / Visits/Visitors

Cycle B (2022-2023)

National Curriculum coverage:

Pupils should:

• develop an awareness of the past
• identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods.
• use a wide vocabulary of everyday historical terms
• ask and answer questions, choosing and using parts of stories and other sources to show that they know and understand key features of events
• understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past

• use common words and phrases relating to the passing of time.

• know where the people and events they study fit within a chronological framework and understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented

Pupils should be taught about: 

• the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements
• compare aspects of life in different periods

• changes within living memory and where appropriate, these should be used to reveal aspects of change in national life.

Pupils should be taught about: 

• events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally.

Pupils should be taught about: 

• events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally.

Autumn 

Spring

Summer

• Lives of significant individuals:  Explorers  -  Ibn Battuta, Christopher Columbus Neil Armstrong 
• Incidental - event first moon landing

• Events beyond living memory -  Great Fire of London

• Events beyond living memory:  Mary Anning 
• Dinosaurs 

Experience Days/ Trips / Visits/Visitors

KEY STAGE 2

Year 3  Knowledge and Skills Progression

Progression in History skills 

Chronology:

• place the time studied on  a time line
• sequence events or artefacts

Range and Depth of Historical Knowledge:

• find out about everyday lives of people in time studied
• compare with our life today
• identify reasons and results of people’s actions
• understand why people may have had to do something
• study change through the lives of significant individuals 

Historical Enquiry:

• use a range of sources to find out about a period
• observe small detail – artefacts, pictures
• select and record information relevant to the study
• begin to use the library, e-learning for research
• ask and answer questions

Interpretations of History:

• identify and give reasons for different ways in which the past is represented
• distinguish between different sources and evaluate their usefulness
• look at representations of the period – museum, cartoons, advertisements

Organisation and Communication: 

• communicate knowledge and understanding in a variety of ways – discussions, pictures, writing, annotations, drama 
• speak about how h/she has found out about the past

Pupils should:

• continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British and world history
• note connections and contrasts over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms
• address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause and significance
• understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources
• construct informed response which involves thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information

Pupils should be taught about: 

• changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age.
• Iron Age hill forts: tribal kingdoms, farming, art and culture

• the achievements of the earliest civilisations - an overview of where and when the first civilisations appeared and an in depth study
• a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ knowledge beyond 1066 

Cycle A

Autumn

Spring

Summer

Stone Age to Iron Age Britain

Changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age

How do artefacts help us to understand the lives of people in Iron Age Britain?

Ancient Egypt

The achievements of an early civilization – an overview of where and when they first appeared and an in- depth study of Ancient Egypt

Changes over time: Leisure and Entertainment- focus on The Tudors

An aspect in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066

Experience Days/ Trips / Visits/Visitors

Re-enactment Day

Vital VR?

York Castle Museum

Year 4 5 and 6  Knowledge and Skills Progression

Progression in History Skills over the three year cycle.

Chronology:

• place events from period studied on a timeline
• use terms related to the period and begin to date events
• understand more complex terms eg. BCE/AD
• place current study on time line in relation to other studies
• know and sequence key event of time studied
• use relevant dates,  terms and periods labels
• relate current studies to previous studies
• make comparisons between different times in history
• sequence up to ten events on a timeline

Range and Depth of Historical Knowledge:

• use evidence to reconstruct life in time studied
• identify key features and events
• look for links and effects in time studied
• offer a reasonable explanation for some events
• develop a broad understanding of ancient civilisations
• study different aspects of the lives of different people- differences between men and women, rich and poor
• examine causes and results of great events and the impact on people
• compare life in early and late times studied
• compare an aspect of life with the same  aspect in another period
• study an ancient civilisation in detail
• find out about beliefs, behaviour and characteristics of people, recognising that not everyone shares the same views and feelings
• compare beliefs and behaviours with another period studied
• write another explanation of a past event using evidence to support and illustrate their explanation
• know key dates, characters and events of the time studied
• compare and contrast ancient civilisations 

Historical Enquiry:

• use evidence to build up a picture of a past event
• choose relevant material to present a picture of one aspect of life in time past
• ask a variety of questions
• use the library and e-learning for research
• begin to identify primary and secondary sources
• use evidence to build up a picture of the time studied
• select relevant sections of information
• confidently use  library, e-learning, research
• recognise primary and secondary sources
• use a range of sources to find out about and aspect of time past; suggest omissions and the means of finding out
• bring knowledge gathering from several sources together in a fluent account

Interpretations of History:

• look at the evidence available
• begin to evaluate the usefulness of different sources
• use of text books to support and develop historical knowledge
• compare accounts of events from different sources; fact or fiction
• offer some reasons for different versions of events
• link sources and work out how conclusions were arrived at
• consider ways of checking the accuracy of interpretations – fact or fiction and opinion
• be aware that different evidence will lead to different conclusions
• confidently use library and ICT for research 

Organisation and Communication: 

• select data and organise it into a data file to answer historical questions
• know the period in which the study is set
• display findings in a variety of ways
• work independently and in groups 
• fit events into a display sorted by theme time
• use appropriate terms, matching dates to people and events
• record and communicate knowledge in different forms; work independently and in groups, showing initiative
• select aspects of study to make a display
• use a variety of ways to communicate knowledge and understanding, including extended writing
• plan and carry out individual investigations

Lower Key Stage 2 Pupils should:

• continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British history.
• note connections and contrasts over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms. 
• address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference and significance.
• understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources

Upper Key stage 2 Pupils should: 

• continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study

• note connections and contrasts over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms
• regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about similarity and difference
• construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information.
• understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources

Pupils should be taught about: 

• the achievements of the earliest civilisations - an overview of where and when the first civilisations appeared and an in depth study
• Britain’s settlement by the Anglo-Saxons.
• Anglo-Saxon art and culture

• a study of an aspect in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066.
• a significant turning point in British history

Cycle A

Autumn

Spring

Summer

Turning Points: The Victorians

A study of an aspect on British History that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066; A significant turning point in British history; Changes in the power of the monarch (Queen Victoria case study)

Local History

A study over time tracing how several aspects of national history are reflected in the locality (this can go beyond 1066)

A study of an aspect of history or a site dating from a period beyond 1066 that is significant in the locality

Romans

The Roman Empire and its impact on Britain: Julius Caesar’s attempted invasion in 55-54BC; the Roman Empire by AD42 and the power of its army; successful invasion by Claudius and conquest, including Hadrian’s Wall; British resistance eg. Boudica

‘Romanisation’ of Britain: sites such as Caerwent and the impact of technology, culture and beliefs, including early Christianity.

Experience Days/ Trips / Visits/Visitors

Armley Mills Victorian School room

Boston Spa Heritage Trail

Roman Gladiator Visit

Cycle B

Autumn

Spring

Summer

The Anglo-Saxons: What happened when the Romans left Britain?

Roman withdrawal from Britain in c. AD 410 and the fall of the western Roman Empire; Scots invasions from Ireland to north Britain (now Scotland) ;Anglo-Saxon invasions, settlements and kingdoms: place names and village life; Anglo-Saxon art and culture; Christian conversion – Canterbury, Iona and Lindisfarne 

WW2 focus: 20th Century Britain

A study of an aspect on British History that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066; focus on technology and  conflict  ( WW2)

The Maya

The achievements of the earliest civilisations - an overview of where and when the first civilisations appeared and  in-depth study of a non-European society that provides opportunities to compare and  contrast with British history

Experience Days/ Trips / Visits/Visitors

Recreate an Anglo-Saxon settlement on the school field

Eden Camp

20^th Day Festival Day!

Cycle C

Autumn

Spring

Summer

The Vikings

The Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor

• Viking raids and invasion 
• resistance by Alfred the Great and Athelstan, first king of England 

 further Viking invasions and Danegeld 

• Anglo-Saxon laws and justice 
• Edward the Confessor and his death in 1066 

Ancient Greece

A study of Greek life and achievements and their influence on the western world; the legacy of Ancient Greece

1,00 Years of Crime and Punishment 

Study an aspect in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066

Experience Days/ Trips / Visits/Visitors

Jorvik Museum in York

The Olympic Games

Ripon Jail and Workhouse