History Curriculum Information

                                                       

Introduction

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At Our Lady’s, our history curriculum is shaped by a clear intent: to ensure pupils develop secure and wide-ranging substantive knowledge of past civilisations, events and individuals, alongside robust disciplinary knowledge that helps them understand how historians investigate, interpret and construct accounts of the past. Through the Opening Worlds programme, pupils from Year 1 to Year 6 follow a highly sequenced, knowledge-rich curriculum that systematically builds their understanding of chronology, cause and consequence, similarity and difference, and historical significance. This carefully structured approach sparks curiosity, deepens understanding and supports all pupils in accessing and enjoying complex historical ideas.

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Implementation is grounded in the high-quality teaching practices embedded in the Opening Worlds materials. Lessons make purposeful links across time periods and themes, ensuring that new content is always connected to what pupils already know. Rich vocabulary, clear explanations and well-crafted resources enable pupils to develop a strong conceptual framework. Across Key Stage 2, pupils also engage in planned historical enquiries and practical investigations, including handling sources, evaluating evidence and exploring different interpretations, allowing them to apply disciplinary thinking in authentic ways.

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The impact is evident in pupils’ confidence, historical fluency and enthusiasm for the subject. Children at Our Lady’s develop a secure and extensive body of knowledge, alongside the analytical skills needed to question and understand the past. By the end of Year 6, pupils are equipped with the substantive foundations and disciplinary habits of mind that prepare them exceptionally well for secondary history, enabling them to engage thoughtfully with the complexity of human experiences across time.

 

What pupils say about History at Our Lady’s

 

• I like history because it is very gruesome eg. World War 1.

• I like that it makes you think what life would have been like to live in those times.

• I learn more about each topic in each year group.

• I like to visit museums and also to learn about the money they used before decimalisation.

• Learning how they did things that we do now, but using simple tools.

• I like going back in time, re-enacting the past.

• I like knowing the authors an all the inventions.

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Involvement of Parents:

Share family history with your child, particularly your own memories of the people and places of your childhood. Encourage your parents and other relatives to talk with your child about family history.

 

Read with your child about people and events that have made a difference in the world and discuss the readings together.

Introduce your child to local community leaders and to national and world leaders (both current and those of the past) by means of newspapers, books, TV and the Internet.

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Watch TV programs about important historical topics with your family and encourage discussion about the program as you watch. Look at library books on the same topic and learn more about it. See if the books and TV programs agree on significant issues and discuss any differences.

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Assessment

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At Our Lady’s Primary School, in line with our curriculum intent, we have developed a foundation subject tracking system.  It will capture our ongoing assessments of each child showing us how well our curriculum is being implemented as well as how our children are progressing through the curriculum and the impact it has on their learning.  It will enable teachers to plan subsequent learning opportunities so that individual needs are met and children can make progress towards the end of year expectations.  Judgements relating to end of year expectations will be made at the end of the academic year.

 

SMSC in Humanities

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Humanities subjects are focused on people and their relationships and, therefore, we are well placed to contribute to students’ Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural education. In lessons, children are given the opportunity to either to consider the needs and experiences of others, or their own personal responses to events, problems and changes. Teachers encourage children to discuss and debate controversy within the classroom. We expect the study of Humanities subjects to affect positively the way students live their daily lives. We encourage the children to enquire, consider and question in lessons and beyond.

 

Spiritual

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Spiritual development is encouraged regularly by providing pupils opportunities to appreciate intangible concepts. The idea of truth is central to all History lessons that use sources. Children show a willingness to reflect on past events. 

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Moral - Children have the opportunity to reflect on past events and how they shape the life in modern day England for example the impact of world wars. Older children use their investigation skills to offer judgement on moral dilemmas.

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Social - Children have the opportunity to work within social situation and develop their understanding of democracy within lessons.

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Cultural - An example of how we teach the cultural aspect of SMSC in history at Our Lady’s is through exploring how different civilisations lived, celebrated, worshipped and expressed their identity. For instance, when studying Ancient Egypt or the Benin Kingdom, pupils learn about the traditions, art, stories and beliefs that shaped each culture, discussing how these compare with and differ from their own lives today.