History
History is a subject which enables children to engage with the past – learning about people of significance, be inspired to research famous events, roll their sleeves up for the nasty, gory stuff and discover some simply mad stories.
Primary National Curriculum for History
History in the Early Years
In Reception, the early learning goals are focused on the memories of a child – for example, reflecting on a special event or family custom. Children will also explore differences, considering different family members and the concept of generations within the family.
History in Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2)
The National Curriculum for Key Stage 1 asks children to learn about specific people or events that are both within and beyond living memory. In these year groups, the children develop a grounding of what History is and this foundational learning is revisited and built upon in Key Stage 2. Teachers are given the opportunity to help children make comparisons between ‘then’ and ‘now’. At Springbank, we consider some of the examples provided in the National Curriculum – such as learning about significant individuals like Rosa Parks or a study of the Great Fire of London. Themes such as Toys and linking learning to our local setting of Cheltenham also lend themselves really well to helping the children learn about the past.
History in Key Stage 2 (Years 3, 4, 5 and 6)
The National Curriculum for Keys Stage 2 is much more prescriptive. Children in these classes will learn all about the following periods of British history:
- The Stone Age
- The Romans
- The Anglo Saxons
- The Vikings
- A local history unit
- A period of history later than 1066 – we cover WWII
Beyond this, schools have some flexibility around introducing children to World Civilian History. At Springbank, we cover:
- Ancient Egypt
- Ancient Greece
- Baghdad