History
“A generation without history is a generation that not only loses a nation's memory but loses a sense of what it's like to be inside a human skin.”
Simon Schama
At BSCA Primary we are historians! We want our children to love history. We want them to have no limits to what their ambitions are and grow up wanting to be curators, archaeologists and so on.
Our history curriculum embodies our vision: we create a place where all can achieve life in its fullness.
Our children BELIEVE they are historians who STRIVE to know more and remember more. They CARE for each other and the world. Finally, they ACHIEVE their excellence by working hard- at the end of their time in primary school they are historians ready to continue their learning journey in key stage 3 and beyond.
By living our vision and values we achieve our Trust vision. Through our history curriculum our children will have:
Life in all its fullness.
Our history curriculum has been carefully crafted so that our children develop their history capital. We want our children to remember their history lessons in our school and to have amazing memories to look back on.
Curriculum Intent
The history curriculum promotes curiosity and a life long love of learning. It is ambitious and empowers our children to become independent and resilient – like all our curriculum areas. We promote the use of a knowledge-rich curriculum to serve the key principles of cognitive science. Research has shown that those who are rich in knowledge gain new knowledge quicker and more effectively. Hirsch writes, knowledge should be thought of as mental Velcro. People who have lots of subject-specific knowledge find that new knowledge ‘sticks’ to it, helping them commit the new information to long-term memory.
We therefore place the acquisition of knowledge at the heart of the learning process.
We want to equip them with the statutory requirements of the history National Curriculum and prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. We want them to be active responsible British citizens. Studying history allows them to explore British values. For example, in year 4 when they carry out the overview study on crime and punishment, they explore the rule of law.
Our aim is for all children to access challenging curriculum content that covers a range of historical concepts. We seek to achieve this through the use of high-quality curriculum materials and knowledge organisers, that lay out specific, detailed, coherent knowledge and to use pedagogical practices that seek to ensure that knowledge is not just encountered but fixed in the long-term memory. We know that learning has not taken place if there has not been a change to long term memory.
The children’s history learning starts in the early years with opportunities to build the children’s knowledge and vocabulary of the past starting with their own personal histories. Then moving onto building further knowledge by comparing their lives with those of the children in the past finding out about the kinds of toys they played with and comparing them with the ones they play with today.
History is the story of humanity. It invites pupils to ask big questions about identity and function such as ‘Who am I?’ and ‘Why do we do things this way?’ By understanding civilisations and individual lives of the past, pupils can reflect upon the modern world around them, and crucially, possibilities for the future. Knowledge of Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, the Maya and the Islamic Empire ensure our pupils develop as citizens of the world, whilst study of key aspects of British history from the Stone Age to the Battle of Hastings and the home front of WWII make them informed and curious citizens of the UK.
The KS1 curriculum has been designed to lay the groundwork of chronological knowledge and historical skills to prepare them for further study in KS2. It is our intent that our KS2 curriculum prepares our children to go on to study the subject at key stage 3 and beyond to university, or that they will require particular subject knowledge in their future career, or need particular subject knowledge or skills to enable them to be active members of society. We continue to build on their chronological knowledge studying the history of the British Isles in order alongside local history, thematic overviews and depth studies of the earliest civilisations.
We enrich their time in our school with memorable, unforgettable experiences and provide opportunities which may normally be out of reach – these piques their interests and passions. Bolton is rich in history and presents many opportunities for developing a love of history. For example, Bolton museum has an amazing Egyptology department. Our town has had a role in key events in the chronology of the British Isles and our curriculum reflects this from discovering the importance of cotton production as a neighbour to ‘Cottonopolis’ or Manchester in Bolton’s mills and discovering the invention of Bolton’s Samuel Crompton to the remains of Anglo-Saxon evidence found at the Parish Church- not to mention discovering the reason Cannon Street has its name from the Civil War.
We also ensure we mark key moments throughout the year, for example, Black History Month, Remembrance Day and Bonfire Night.
Curriculum Implementation
The history curriculum has been carefully built and the learning opportunities for each year group designed to ensure progression and repetition in terms of embedding key learning, knowledge and skills. We believe that our pupils need to be actively involved in making sense of their learning and therefore an enquiry approach has been implemented, encouraging higher-order thinking and allowing our children to explore. Within each year group, history strands are revisited in a progressive manner- our ‘History Hexagons’ clearly set out our learning intentions. For every period of history, we consider the threads of: movement of people, conflict, arts and culture, religion, technological development and dwellings and lifestyle. These can be universally studied across all periods of history, across local history, national history and world history studies. With a focus on these, we allow our children to make connections and comparisons across history topics throughout their time in primary all the way to Year 6
Tier 3 subject specific history vocabulary is identified for each learning challenge. We encourage our children ‘To speak like historians’ in all lessons and display key vocabulary in our classrooms using dual coding and place it on our knowledge organisers.
Our medium term plans are used to set out the learning objectives for each lesson, identifying engaging activities and resources which will be used to achieve them.
We teach history through an enquiry question, the knowledge linked to each enquiry has been deliberately chosen to be connected, cumulative and coherent. This helps to ensure sufficient time is allocated to history and that history subject matter can be revisited frequently. Our teachers link prior knowledge to new learning in order to deepen understanding. For example, in Year 2 when the children explore ‘why was Samuel Crompton a significant figure in Bolton’s history?’ They then revisit that learning and add to that schema with a study of how Bolton changed over time in Year 3 and in Year 5 an exploration of how the cotton industry impacted Bolton. We believe that by crafting our curriculum this way, we improve the potential for our children to retain what they have been taught, to alter their long-term memory and therefore make maximum progress.
Additionally, our retrieval roulette in history supports our cognitive science approach to teaching and learning. It allows for the embedding of learning through spaced retrieval.
We use the Windows, Mirrors and Doors approach to make history meaningful, inclusive, and thought-provoking:
- Windows – History provides windows into different times, cultures, and perspectives. Pupils explore the experiences of people from across the world and from diverse backgrounds, gaining insight into how societies functioned and changed over time. This promotes empathy, global awareness, and an understanding of continuity and change.
- Mirrors – History acts as a mirror, reflecting pupils’ own communities, identities, and experiences. By studying local history, personal stories, and familiar contexts, children see connections between their own lives and the past, fostering a sense of belonging and cultural awareness.
- Doors – History opens doors to new thinking, reflection, and action. Pupils consider the consequences of past events, the lessons they hold, and how understanding history can inform decision-making and citizenship in the present and future. They learn that the past is dynamic and can inspire change and progress.
Curriculum Impact
Our History curriculum inspires pupils to develop a curiosity about the past and an understanding of how it shapes the present and future. Through engaging and enquiry-based learning, children investigate significant events, people, and societies — both in Britain and around the world — building knowledge, chronological understanding, and critical thinking skills.
History learning at our school helps pupils to see the relevance of the past in their own lives and the wider world, fostering a sense of identity, empathy, and responsibility. The curriculum encourages children to ask questions, analyse evidence, and appreciate that history is a rich, diverse, and sometimes contested story.
By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils:
- Develop a secure chronological understanding of British, European, and world history.
- Use historical evidence critically to ask questions, make connections, and draw conclusions.
- Understand historical concepts such as cause and effect, similarity and difference, and continuity and change.
- Communicate their knowledge and understanding confidently through discussion, writing, and creative projects.
The impact of our History curriculum is evident in pupils who:
- Show curiosity and enthusiasm for learning about the past.
- Think critically about historical evidence and interpretations.
- Appreciate diversity and develop empathy for people in the past and present.
- Understand the relevance of history in shaping their own identity and the wider world.
Through the Windows, Mirrors and Doors approach, children look through windows to understand diverse perspectives and historical experiences, see mirrors that reflect their own identity and heritage, and step through doors to imagine and contribute to a better, informed future.
Ultimately, pupils leave Key Stage 2 as reflective, informed, and empathetic learners, equipped to engage with history thoughtfully and confidently at Key Stage 3 and beyond.
History Skills
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Embedded within our curriculum are the six disciplinary skills that we feel are essential for demonstrating key progress as a historian from EYFS to Year 6.
We ensure that the children are confident in each of these six key skills by revisiting them and increasing how independent children can be when using them.
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History Threads
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Interleaving our curriculum are six key historical threads. With a focus on these, we allow our children to make connections and comparisons across history topics throughout EYFS to Year 6.
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Yearly Curriculum Overview
