Our history curriculum aims to instil in children a desire to be curious about the past. We aim to bring our history teaching to life by using visitors and visits to support history learning. Our pupils use their history learning to develop a chronology of the history of the British Isles as well as studying world history through famous people, events and places. Alongside this, they develop the skills needed to be an historian. The study of History supports our pupils to build a temporal awareness and a developing sense of identity as they come to understand their place in the story of human development. As a school we recognise that engaging children and young people in investigating questions about people and events in the past helps them to better understand their lives today and prepares them for the future as more informed citizens. Engaging our pupils with a relevant, exciting and challenging history curriculum which inspires curiosity and is appropriate for preparing them for an adult life in the 21st century is essential since it: 

• Helps them to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as some of the challenges of their time;
• Develops skills of critical thinking which means making reasoned judgements that are logical and well thought out and not merely accepting arguments and conclusions as they are presented but having a healthy, discerning and questioning attitude about new information;
• Helps to builda sense of identity and belonging on a personal, cultural, national and global level as pupils come to appreciate the diversity of human experience and consequently understand more about themselves and as members of society;
• Enables pupils to understand core conceptssuch as cause and consequence, similarity and difference, continuity and change, significance, evidence, chronology and empathy which have broad relevance and significance in the modern world.

The National Curriculum provides an outline of core knowledge, skills and understanding around which teachers can develop exciting and stimulating units of work and lessons. Our staff have spent considerable time developing their long-term curriculum maps for their year groups to ensure that the full requirements of the National Curriculum are met.

These subject specific documents outline the content of the curriculum for each year group, across the academic year and provide an excellent insight into what each year group will be teaching.