Vision 

The aim of history teaching here at St Martin’s C of E Primary School is to stimulate the children’s interest and understanding about the life of people who lived in the past. 

We want our children to have a clear sense of chronology, and through this they will develop a sense of identity and a cultural understanding based on their historical heritage. In this way, they learn to value their own and other people’s cultures in modern multicultural Britain and, by considering how people lived in the past, they are better able to make their own life choices today. 

In our school, we teach children to understand how events in the past have influenced our lives today; we also teach them to investigate these past events and, by so doing, to develop the skills of enquiry, analysis, interpretation and problem-solving. 

“He who does not know his past cannot make the best of his present and future, for it is from the past that we learn.” Sheikh Zayed (UAE) 

The aims of history in our school are: 

• to foster in children an interest in the past and to develop an understanding that enables them to enjoy all that history has to offer; 

• to enable children to know about significant events in British history and to appreciate how things have changed over time; 

• to develop a sense of chronology; 

• to know and understand how the British system of democratic government has developed and, in so doing, to contribute to a child’s cultural education;  

• to understand how Britain is part of a wider European culture and to study some aspects of European history; 

• to have some knowledge and understanding of historical development in the wider world; 

• to help children understand society and their place within it, so that they develop a sense of their cultural heritage; 

• to develop in children the skills of enquiry, investigation, analysis, evaluation and presentation. 

Rationale 

In order to provide a broad and balanced, knowledge-rich curriculum we teach history discretely using Pearson Primary History to support our pupils’ natural curiosity. This helps us teach them about the wider world and their place within it.  We have a carefully sequenced journey of learning covering all relevant aspects of the National Curriculum, building and developing the important concepts of cause and consequence, significance, evidence and continuity and change, which are woven through all units. 

We use high quality work booklets which help children confidently progress through the units and secure their learning.  They contain retrieval practice activities, knowledge organisers and support for extended writing which mean that every lesson, children learn and remember more. 

We believe this will support us in inspiring the next generation of young historians.