History

At St Martin’s, we follow the CUSP History curriculum to provide a rich, knowledge-driven education that helps children understand the past and its influence on the present.

Our approach is rooted in high-quality teaching, ambitious content, and a commitment to developing historical thinking. We follow the CUSP History curriculum to deliver a rich, knowledge-led approach that builds pupils’ understanding of chronology, cause and consequence, and historical significance.

At St Martin's, History is more than a subject—it’s a gateway to understanding the past, shaping the future, and learning from those who came before us.

Our intent is to inspire curiosity and equip children with the knowledge and skills to think and act like historians. Through the CUSP History curriculum, we aim to:

  • Build a secure understanding of key historical concepts such as civilisation, monarchy, empire, invasion, and democracy.

  • Develop chronological awareness and help children make connections across time periods.

  • Encourage critical thinking, questioning, and the use of evidence to understand the past.

  • Promote an appreciation of diversity, change, and continuity in British and world history.

We want children to leave our school with a deep understanding of how the past has shaped the world around them and the ability to engage thoughtfully with historical narratives.

CUSP History is implemented through a carefully sequenced curriculum that builds knowledge cumulatively and revisits key concepts regularly. Our approach includes:

  • Structured Units: Each year group follows a progressive series of units that explore key themes such as monarchy, empire, civilisation, and democracy.

  • Substantive Knowledge: Pupils gain a deep understanding of historical content—significant people, places, events, and developments across British and world history.

  • Disciplinary Knowledge: Pupils are taught how to think like historians—how to use evidence, understand cause and consequence, explore continuity and change, and evaluate different interpretations of the past.

  • Knowledge Organisers: These provide essential vocabulary, timelines, and key facts to support retention and retrieval.

  • Retrieval Practice: Regular low-stakes quizzes and discussions help embed knowledge and reinforce learning.

  • Explicit Vocabulary Instruction: Historical terminology is taught systematically to support comprehension and articulate understanding.

  • High-Quality Resources: Lessons are enriched with artefacts, primary sources, visual media, and storytelling to bring history to life.

  • Teacher Development: Ongoing CPD ensures staff are confident in delivering high-quality history lessons with consistency and depth.

Teachers receive regular CPD to ensure consistent delivery and deep subject knowledge across all year groups.

The impact of our history curriculum is seen in the way children confidently talk about the past, make connections across time, and apply historical thinking. We see:

  • Strong subject knowledge, with children able to recall key facts, dates, and concepts.

  • Improved analytical skills, as children learn to evaluate sources and consider multiple perspectives.

  • High engagement and enthusiasm, with pupils enjoying history and valuing its relevance.

  • Preparation for secondary history, with children equipped to tackle more complex historical enquiry.

Our pupils leave Key Stage 2 with a secure foundation in history and the ability to think critically about the world.

Big Ideas

CUSP History is built around powerful, recurring concepts that deepen pupils’ understanding of the past.

These include civilisation, monarchy, invasion, empire, society, and democracy.

Each unit explores these ideas through carefully framed enquiry questions, encouraging pupils to think critically and make connections across time periods.

The curriculum promotes historical thinking through cause and consequence, continuity and change, significance, and evidence. These big ideas are revisited and developed over time, helping children build a coherent and meaningful understanding of history.

This thematic approach ensures pupils grasp not just what happened, but why it matters and how it shaped the world today.

Content

The CUSP History curriculum covers a broad and ambitious range of historical periods, events, and individuals from EYFS to Year 6.

Pupils study changes within living memory, significant people, and local history in KS1.

In KS2, they explore ancient civilisations, British history including the Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, and key global events such as World War II.

Each unit includes substantive knowledge, disciplinary skills, and rich vocabulary. Pupils learn to construct historical arguments, analyse sources, and understand chronology. The content is carefully chosen to reflect diversity, significance, and relevance, ensuring pupils gain a well-rounded and inclusive understanding of the past.

Sequencing

CUSP History is sequenced to build cumulative knowledge and deepen understanding over time. Each unit connects to prior learning, allowing pupils to revisit and refine key concepts.

Chronology is central, with timelines and historical context guiding progression from EYFS through to Year 6.

The curriculum is designed to reduce cognitive load by introducing new content in manageable steps, supported by retrieval practice and spaced repetition. Substantive concepts and disciplinary knowledge are interleaved across year groups, ensuring pupils develop historical thinking skills alongside factual knowledge.

This structured sequencing helps children retain and apply what they learn with increasing sophistication.

Oracy and Vocabulary

Oracy and vocabulary are integral to CUSP History.

Each unit includes explicit teaching of Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary, helping pupils articulate historical ideas with precision.

Pupils engage in structured talk, debates, and discussions to explore historical concepts and express their understanding.

Teachers model academic language and encourage pupils to use it in context. Vocabulary is revisited regularly to support retention and deepen comprehension.

Oracy activities such as storytelling, questioning, and reasoning help pupils develop confidence in speaking and listening. This focus on language supports both historical understanding and wider communication skills across the curriculum.

Assessment of Pupils

Assessment in CUSP History is both formative and summative, designed to support learning and track progress.

Teachers use retrieval practice, questioning, and low-stakes quizzes to assess understanding throughout each unit. Pupils complete tasks that demonstrate their ability to recall knowledge, apply vocabulary, and think historically. Summative assessments include written outcomes, timelines, and structured responses to enquiry questions.

Pupil Book Studies and knowledge organisers help monitor retention and identify gaps. Assessment is used to inform teaching, provide feedback, and plan interventions. This ensures all pupils are supported to make sustained progress and develop a secure grasp of historical knowledge and skills.

Reasonable Adjustments for Pupils with SEND

CUSP History is designed to be inclusive and accessible for all learners, including pupils with SEND.

Lessons follow consistent routines and use visual aids, dual-coded resources, and scaffolded tasks to support understanding.

Vocabulary is explicitly taught and revisited, helping pupils access complex ideas.

Teachers make reasonable adjustments such as simplified texts, additional modelling, and adapted questioning. Retrieval practice and repetition help reinforce learning.

Opportunities for oral responses and collaborative work support pupils with communication needs. Assessment is used to identify barriers and tailor support. This ensures all children can engage meaningfully with history and make progress at their own level.

Empathy
One child, one teacher, one pen, and one book can change the world.
Malala Yousafzai