History

Intent

At Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School, we aim to provide a high-quality history education that inspires curiosity about the past and develops a lasting interest in the people and events that have shaped our world.

Our history curriculum enables pupils to develop a secure and coherent understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. We want children to make connections between the past and their lives today, understand how societies have changed, and explore the causes and consequences of historical events.

Pupils develop the confidence to ask perceptive questions, think critically, examine evidence and explain their ideas. They learn that our understanding of the past draws on different sources and that historical accounts and interpretations can differ.

We aim to provide a rich and diverse understanding of history, helping pupils explore the experiences, achievements and perspectives of people from different backgrounds. In keeping with our Catholic ethos, we encourage children to reflect on human dignity, fairness and justice, approaching the experiences of others with respect and sensitivity.

Through learning about their local area, Britain and the wider world, pupils develop a sense of identity and an understanding of their place within a wider historical story.

Implementation

A carefully sequenced curriculum

We use the Cornerstones history curriculum, supported by Curriculum Maestro, to plan a coherent sequence of learning that meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum.

While the scheme provides a clear framework, teachers adapt lessons to meet the needs of our pupils and reflect their backgrounds, experiences and communities. We draw on the history of Garston and the wider city of Liverpool to make learning meaningful, connecting local people, places and events with national and world history.

Our long-term plans identify the historical knowledge and skills taught in each year group. Learning builds progressively, enabling pupils to revisit earlier knowledge and make connections between historical periods.

Key concepts, including chronology, cause and consequence, continuity and change, similarity and difference, and historical significance, are revisited and developed throughout the curriculum. Pupils also explore ideas such as power, monarchy, invasion, settlement and civilisation in increasingly complex contexts.

Early Years Foundation Stage

In EYFS, historical learning begins through Understanding the World, as children talk about their own experiences and family histories, explore stories and images from the past, and begin to recognise similarities and differences between life in the past and life today.

Key Stage 1

In Year 1, Childhood builds on children’s experiences and introduces changes within living memory. Through School Days, pupils explore the history of their school and compare their experiences with schooling in the Victorian period.

In Year 2, Movers and Shakers introduces significant individuals and explores why people are remembered and how they have influenced history. Through Magnificent Monarchs, pupils learn about significant monarchs and begin to understand power and monarchy.

Across Key Stage 1, children encounter significant people, places and events, including examples from their locality.

Lower Key Stage 2

In Year 3, Through the Ages develops pupils’ understanding of changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age. Through Emperors and Empires, they explore the Roman Empire, its impact on Britain and the changes brought by Roman settlement.

In Year 4, Invasion builds on this learning through the study of the Roman withdrawal from Britain and the settlement of the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, extending to 1066. Through Ancient Civilisations, pupils explore the achievements of early civilisations, including ancient Sumer, the Indus Valley and ancient Egypt.

Upper Key Stage 2

In Year 5, Dynamic Dynasties develops pupils’ understanding of ancient China, including its achievements, beliefs and systems of power. Through Groundbreaking Greeks, children investigate ancient Greek life and achievements and their influence on the wider world.

In Year 6, Maafa explores African kingdoms and histories, alongside the complex issues of enslavement, colonialism and Britain’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade and its abolition. These topics are taught with care and sensitivity, recognising the experiences and resistance of enslaved people.

Through Britain at War, pupils explore conflict and change in British history, with a particular focus on the First and Second World Wars and their effects on people’s lives.

Teaching and learning

Our short-term plans organise learning into a clear sequence of age-appropriate lessons. They identify the historical knowledge, vocabulary and skills pupils need to learn, drawing on and extending their previous understanding. Our progression in history skills document supports the development of historical enquiry across year groups and key stages.

In a typical history lesson, pupils have opportunities to:

Recall and consolidate previous learning.
Explore historical questions and learn key vocabulary.
Develop chronological understanding and place people and events within a historical context.
Examine sources, such as artefacts, photographs, documents and accounts.
Discuss what evidence can tell us and consider its limitations.
Take part in independent and collaborative tasks.
Explain, discuss and review their learning.

Teachers use questioning, discussion and pupils’ work to identify misconceptions and adapt teaching. Support and challenge enable all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities and those learning English as an additional language, to access the curriculum and develop their historical understanding.

We make meaningful links with subjects such as geography, English, religious education, art and science, while maintaining a clear focus on historical learning.

Bringing history to life

Educational visits, visitors and opportunities to explore historical sources help pupils connect classroom learning with people, places and objects from the past. Visits to museums, galleries and places of historical interest broaden children’s experiences and deepen their understanding of the periods they study.

Our local area and the city of Liverpool provide valuable opportunities to explore how places and communities have changed and how local history connects with wider events.

Year 6 pupils visit Western Approaches Museum in Liverpool, where they explore a former Second World War command centre. Through the building, documents and equipment, pupils learn about Liverpool’s role in the Battle of the Atlantic and the work of those involved in coordinating naval operations.

Our whole-school Black History focus provides further opportunities to explore significant individuals, events and contributions. This complements the study of diverse histories within our planned curriculum.

Impact

Our history curriculum aims to develop knowledgeable, curious and increasingly independent historians who can explain aspects of the past and make connections across their learning.

As pupils progress through school, we expect them to:

Know more, remember more and apply their historical knowledge and skills with increasing confidence.
Make progress towards the expectations of the National Curriculum.
Develop a secure sense of chronology, placing significant people, events and periods in time.
Use historical vocabulary accurately to describe and explain the past.
Recognise change and continuity, similarities and differences, and the causes and consequences of events.
Ask relevant historical questions and use evidence to support their answers.
Understand that historical sources and interpretations can offer different perspectives on the past.
Make connections between local, British and world history.
Work independently and collaboratively to investigate questions and communicate their findings.
Show respect and sensitivity when learning about people’s experiences.
Develop a lasting interest in history and a desire to find out more.

We evaluate the impact of our curriculum through classroom assessment, discussions with pupils and their work. We consider what pupils can recall, explain and apply over time, including their use of historical vocabulary, chronological understanding and ability to draw on evidence. This helps teachers identify gaps, revisit less secure concepts and plan subsequent learning.

The history curriculum is reviewed regularly to ensure that it remains relevant, ambitious and appropriately sequenced, and that it reflects the needs of our pupils and the community we serve.

Files to Download

History National Curriculum..pdf