Why do we learn history?
Our approach
Curriculum Overview
Reception
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6

Why do we learn history?

At Ayrton we believe a successful primary historian:

  • has high expectations of themselves and demonstrates our values at all times
  • has a clear chronological understanding of the past and how it has shaped the world today
  • analyses sources critically and can apply the skill of critique and evaluation to a wide range of subjects
  • makes links between historical events and times
  • is exposed to a wide range of societies, cultures, and beliefs throughout history
  • understands how equality and diversity has shaped the world we live in
  • can form opinions and beliefs based on the past. Understand the consequences of events that have happened
  • can explain and identify key social, technological, political and religious changes throughout history.

Our approach

Implementation

Medium term plans are produced with the ‘Key knowledge’ that children need to learn, alongside recapping prior and teaching historical skills. Our history curriculum:

  • Is shaped around a series of key questions which drive the knowledge for each unit of study
  • contains nonfiction reading sessions to front load knowledge
  • builds on prior learning through making explicit reference to key knowledge and how it links to the new learning
  • ensures that source analysis is regularly built in
  • assesses key questions fortnightly to check that knowledge has been retained
  • uses ‘Do Now’s to recap prior knowledge and address misconceptions
  • uses our digital Seesaw platform to pre teach key content to our children
  • each year group is given an exemplar for children to see a WAGOL of what a historian looks like

Impact

The impact of our curriculum is measured in terms of the extent to which pupils have developed new knowledge, understanding and historical skills that they can use and recall with frequency. These are measured by:

  • responses to questioning, ‘Do Nows and pupil discussion
  • bespoke pupil quizzes to check retention of knowledge and understanding
  • application of learning in independent learning tasks
  • judgements that are made against our exemplars to check if the children have achieved at age-related expectation

Enrichment

In addition to the history curriculum, enrichment is offered through:

  • half termly trips for every year group
  • visitors in school or virtually every half term for all year groups to talk about future career opportunities and enhance learning
  • workshops
  • immersive days such as dress up days

Curriculum Overview

Reception

Autumn

Understanding the world past and present

Comment on images of familiar situations in the past.
Compare and contrast characters from stories, including figures from the past.
Spring

Understanding the World - People, Culture and Communities

Show interest in different occupations.
Continue developing positive attitudes about the differences between people
Summer

Understanding the World - People, Culture and Communities

Show interest in different occupations.
Continue developing positive attitudes about the differences between people

All Reception subjects Next Reception Subject - Geography

Year 1

Autumn
Toys throughout time

Changes within living memory
Spring
Knights and their castles & Dinosaurs

Significant historical events, people, and places in their own locality
Events beyond living memory
Summer
People who change the World

The lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievement

All Year 1 subjects Next Year 1 Subject - Geography

Year 2

Autumn
Great Fire of London and Guy Fawkes

Events beyond living memory
Spring
Around the World in 80 days

The lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievement
Summer
On the Ocean Wave

Significant historical events, people, and places in their own locality

All Year 2 subjects Next Year 2 Subject - Geography

Year 3

Autumn
Stone, Iron and Bronze Ages

Develop chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and World History. Establish clear narratives within and across the periods that children study. Note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms.
Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
Spring
Greeks

Develop chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and World History. Establish clear narratives within and across the periods that children study. Note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms.
Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
Address and devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarities and differences and identify their significance.
Summer
Egyptians

Develop chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and World History. Establish clear narratives within and across the periods that children study. Note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms.
Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
Address and devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarities and differences and identify their significance.

All Year 3 subjects Next Year 3 Subject - Geography

Year 4

Autumn
Mayans

Develop chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and World History. Establish clear narratives within and across the periods that children study. Note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms.
Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
Spring
Roman Empire in Britain

Develop chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and World History. Establish clear narratives within and across the periods that children study. Note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms.
Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
Construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information.
Summer
Anglo Saxons and Scots to Vikings

Develop chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and World History. Establish clear narratives within and across the periods that children study. Note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms.
Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.

All Year 4 subjects Next Year 4 Subject - Geography

Year 5

Autumn
Tudor England

Develop chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and World History. Establish clear narratives within and across the periods that children study. Note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms.
Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
Address and devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarities and differences and identify their significance.
Spring
Victorians

Develop chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and World History. Establish clear narratives within and across the periods that children study. Note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms.
Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
Construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information.
Summer
World War One

Develop chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and World History. Establish clear narratives within and across the periods that children study. Note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms.
Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
Construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information.

All Year 5 subjects Next Year 5 Subject - Geography

Year 6

Autumn
World War Two

Develop chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and World History. Establish clear narratives within and across the periods that children study. Note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms.
Address and devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarities and differences and identify their significance.
Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
Construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information.
Spring
Equality and Diversity in Modern Britain

Develop chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and World History. Establish clear narratives within and across the periods that children study. Note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms.
Address and devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarities and differences and identify their significance.
Summer
Equality and Diversity in Modern Britain

Develop chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and World History. Establish clear narratives within and across the periods that children study. Note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms.
Address and devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarities and differences and identify their significance.

All Year 6 subjects Next Year 6 Subject - Geography