History

History at Penwortham Primary School

At Penwortham Primary School, our history curriculum aims to ignite curiosity and foster a love of learning about the past. We want pupils to develop a secure understanding of key events, people and periods, and to understand how history has shaped the world they live in today.

Our approach to history reflects our school values of Aspire, Belong, Care and Discover, ensuring pupils are ambitious learners who value diversity, think critically and develop a strong sense of identity.

Our History Curriculum – Intent

Our history curriculum is designed to:

develop pupils’ understanding of the past through chronological knowledge
build secure understanding of key historical concepts
develop pupils’ ability to think critically and work with historical sources
ensure pupils understand diverse perspectives and experiences

We aim to deepen pupils’ cultural awareness and help them understand the connections between their own lives and the lives of people in the past.

Our history curriculum is designed around five key historical threads that run through EYFS - Year 6, ensuring that knowledge is consistently revisited and built upon as pupils progress through the school. Every unit is underpinned by a specific disciplinary concept, to ensure children not only learn historical facts, but also develop the vital skills of a historian.

Our History Journey

History learning begins in EYFS through stories, discussions and exploration of the past and present. As pupils move through school, they build knowledge through carefully sequenced units that revisit and deepen understanding of key historical concepts such as change and continuity, significance, cause and consequence, similarity and difference.

Pupils develop their understanding of:

local, national and global history
how societies and civilisations have changed over time
how historical events and individuals have shaped the world

Our History Curriculum - Implementation

History is taught through enquiry-based lessons that encourage pupils to ask questions, investigate sources and form their own conclusions. Pupils are supported to:

explore historical sources and evidence
compare different periods, places and people
develop historical vocabulary
explain and justify their ideas

Learning is enriched through trips, visitors and school-wide events where possible, helping to bring history to life.

Our History Curriculum - Impact

As a result of our history curriculum, pupils:

develop a secure knowledge of key historical events and periods
can explain how and why the past has shaped the present
use historical vocabulary accurately
ask thoughtful questions and form reasoned conclusions
show curiosity and respect for different cultures and perspectives

Pupils leave Penwortham Primary School as informed, reflective learners who are prepared for future history learning and understand their place in the wider world.

SEND in History

At Penwortham Primary School, we are committed to ensuring that our history curriculum is inclusive and accessible to all learners. For our SEND pupils, we provide bespoke support to help them engage with the past and develop their historical inquiry skills. This includes the use of visual timelines to build chronological understanding and simplified sources that make complex information more digestible. We also integrate Widgit symbols to support vocabulary and use a variety of scaffolds, such as sentence stems and dual-coding. By adapting our teaching tools and providing tailored support, we ensure that every child can explore history with confidence and success.