History Curriculum - The Big Picture
Philosophy
BEBCMAT aims to offer a history curriculum which inspires pupils’ curiosity and encourages them to ask perceptive questions about the past. It will provide pupils with a coherent and chronological knowledge of the past of Britain and the wider world, allowing them to develop an understanding of different historical concepts.
Through methods of historical enquiry, children will be given opportunities to work as historians by using and analysing a varied array of evidence. Children will learn how to think critically, weigh evidence and develop their own arguments and perspective.
This curriculum will allow pupils to understand how the past has shaped the world they live in today, providing them with key historical terminology which they can use to discuss connections, contrasts and trends over time.
Implementation
Within Early Years, History is taught in line with the Early Learning Goals, specifically the key area of ‘Understanding the World’. Within this area is a focus on the ‘Past and Present.’ The learning which takes place here comes from adult intervention whilst the children explore continuous provision. During their time in Early Years, children will be exposed to a wide variety of stories which will play a pivotal role in supporting their earliest understanding of the past.
Within Key Stage One and Two the main focus is on developing the children’s ability to work as a historian. Once a week, on alternating half terms, children are exposed to a variety of carefully chosen sources which allow them to gain a deeper understanding of each key period. Children are taught how sources play a key role in developing their knowledge of the past. They are therefore equipped with the skills of how to unpick and analyse historical evidence, so that they can start to understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence and similarity and difference. Through spaced retrieval, children will also have the opportunity to look back on periods previously taught in order to make connections and gain perspective on the significance of each historical period.
Impact
- 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.
Curriculum Map
Subject List
Autumn: To be able to...
EYFS
Children talk about past and present events in their own lives and in the lives of family members.
Key Stage One
Significant historical events, people and places in their own locality.
Events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally. The 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.
Key Stage Two
The achievements of the earliest civilizations – an overview of where and when the first civilizations appeared and a depth study of the Ancient Egyptians.
Britain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots.
A study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066.
A study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066.
Spring: To be able to...
EYFS
Children talk about past and present events in their own lives and in the lives of family members.
Key Stage One
Significant historical events, people and places in their own locality.
Events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally.
Key Stage Two
Ancient Greece – a study of Greek life and achievements and their influence on the western world.
The Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor.
A study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066.
A study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066.
Summer: To be able to...
EYFS
Children talk about past and present events in their own lives and in the lives of family members.
Key Stage One
Changes within living memory. Where appropriate, these should be used to reveal aspects of change in national life.
Changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age.
Key Stage Two
The Roman Empire and its impact on Britain.
A non-European society that provides contrasts with British history – early Islamic civilization, including a study of Baghdad.
A study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066.
A local history study – a study of an aspect of history or a site dating from a period beyond 1066 that is significant in the locality.
