History

Curriculum overview

In the EYFS, History is integrated into their broader curriculum of child led learning, giving the children the opportunity to expand their knowledge and understanding of events, people and changes in the past. Key Stage 1 children learn history through integrated topic work, while in Key Stage 2 children are taught by a specialist history teacher as a discrete subject.

Early Years examples: Planning topics such as All about me and My Family allow children to develop an understanding of their own chronology.  The topic of special people and celebrations begins their journey of understanding how the past impacts our lives.

Key Stage 1 examples: Planning topics such as Toys, Changes to our Seaside and Transport inspire children to understand changes within their living memory.  Throughout KS1 they further develop their understanding of chronology by placing special events on timelines.  During KS1 children begin to develop the skill of asking historical questions to develop their understanding of the past.

Key Stage 2 examples: Children in KS2 begin studying early civilizations, learning how and why humans evolved from nomadic hunter-gatherers to settled farmers and traders.  They draw comparisons between them recognising trade, language and religion as cornerstones of civilisations.  As they progress through KS2 they study the major civilisations of the world and British history upto 1066.  At the end of KS2 children study several turning points in British history.

This comprehensive curriculum allows children to develop the skills of historical research and enquiry and changes over long periods of time. We plan our learning with the children so that they show increasing depth of factual knowledge and understanding of aspects of the history of Britain and the wider world. Specialist teaching ensures our children develop their skills of enquiry as they build on their knowledge and understanding of the past. By the end of KS2 children are beginning to describe, analyse, and consider why there are different historical interpretations of events, people and changes.

Bringing history to life

Our aim at St Michaels is to make our curriculum as exciting and engaging as we can.  We use drama workshops led by teachers and outside specialists to give our children the opportunity not just to read about the past, but to live it. We have transformed our hall into a Roman fort, a Viking village and a Victorian seaside town. This inspired children through crafts, drama and role-play to immerse themselves in history.  Additionally we have a whole week dedicated to history, using our amazing timeline mural as an inspiration.

We also use our local area to support history lessons. Visits to Alexandra Palace, Kenwood House and Lauderdale House (where it is said that Nell Gwyn dangled her baby out the window) help us to reinforce that history is all around us and that it is part of our everyday life.  Oral history projects, guest speakers, artefacts, and of course London’s excellent museums are planned for each year group from Early Years to Years Six to inspire and inform.