Kimberley Primary School
History
History
At Kimberley Primary School and Nursery, History is taught to inspire curiosity, wonder and a lifelong fascination with the past. Through a high-quality history education, pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world, helping them to understand how the past has shaped the present and influences the future. In line with the National Curriculum for England, pupils develop chronological understanding, historical enquiry skills, and the ability to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments and develop perspective and judgement. History enables children to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the diversity of societies, and the relationships between different groups, while developing a strong sense of identity and belonging.
From EYFS through to Key Stage 2, our curriculum is carefully sequenced to build substantive knowledge and disciplinary understanding progressively. In EYFS, children begin by exploring their own lives, family histories, past and present events, and changes over time through stories, discussion and first-hand experiences. This provides the foundation for later historical understanding.
In Key Stage 1, pupils develop an awareness of the past using common words and phrases relating to the passing of time. They study changes within living memory, significant events beyond living memory, the lives of significant individuals and important people, places and events in their own locality. They begin to ask questions, use simple sources and understand chronology.
In Key Stage 2, pupils deepen their chronological understanding of British, local and world history, making connections across periods of time and understanding concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity and difference, and significance. They learn how historians use evidence and develop their own interpretations through enquiry-based learning.
Our History curriculum is underpinned by our school values:
Gracious – pupils learn to value the achievements, experiences and contributions of others across time and cultures.
Resilient – pupils persevere when investigating evidence, challenging assumptions and developing historical arguments.
Empathy – pupils consider the lives, experiences and perspectives of people from different times, developing compassion and understanding.
Ambitious – pupils are encouraged to think deeply, ask meaningful questions and aspire to become knowledgeable, reflective learners.
Thoughtful and Tolerant – pupils learn to respect diversity, appreciate different viewpoints and understand how history shapes modern society and community.
History also provides rich opportunities to develop strong oracy skills. Through discussion, debate, questioning, presentations and collaborative enquiry, pupils learn to articulate ideas clearly, justify opinions with evidence and listen respectfully to others. Historical vocabulary is explicitly taught so that children can speak confidently as young historians.
As a Rights Respecting School, History supports pupils in understanding fairness, justice, equality and human rights across time. Children explore how rights have changed throughout history and reflect on the importance of dignity, respect and responsibility in modern society. They learn that understanding the past helps us build a more just and compassionate future.
Through meaningful, engaging and inclusive teaching, we aim for every child to leave primary school with secure historical knowledge, strong enquiry skills, confident communication and a deep understanding of their role as thoughtful, respectful and active citizens.
History is taught through a carefully planned, progressive curriculum from EYFS to Year 6, ensuring full coverage of the National Curriculum while reflecting our local context and school values.
In EYFS, history begins through Understanding the World, where children talk about past and present events in their own lives and the lives of family members. Storytelling, role play, photographs, visitors and celebrations help children begin to understand chronology and change over time.
In KS1 and KS2, History is taught through blocked units which allow pupils to develop secure knowledge and disciplinary thinking. Learning is sequenced to build chronological understanding and revisit key concepts over time. Units include British history, local history, ancient civilisations and world history, ensuring children develop both historical breadth and depth.
Lessons are enquiry-led and built around key questions that promote curiosity and critical thinking. Pupils use a range of primary and secondary sources including artefacts, photographs, maps, diaries, oral histories and historical texts to investigate the past. They are taught to analyse evidence, identify reliability and make informed judgements.
Teachers provide opportunities for discussion, debate and reflection to strengthen oracy, using sentence stems, partner talk, presentations and structured questioning to support all learners in expressing historical understanding confidently.
Vocabulary is explicitly taught and revisited to ensure pupils can use historical language accurately. Knowledge organisers support retention of key facts, dates, concepts and people.
Educational visits, visitors, local history studies and enrichment opportunities deepen learning and make history memorable and meaningful. Links across the curriculum, including English, Geography, Art and PSHE, strengthen understanding and provide purposeful contexts for learning.
Our Rights Respecting approach is woven throughout the curriculum, enabling pupils to consider themes such as justice, equality, democracy, freedom and responsibility through historical study.
Assessment is ongoing through retrieval practice, discussion, written outcomes and teacher observation, allowing staff to identify misconceptions and ensure progression in both knowledge and skills.
By the end of Year 6, pupils leave as confident young historians who can think critically, communicate clearly and apply their understanding of the past to the world around them.