History at Great Bridge Primary School

At Great Bridge Primary School, our goal is to cultivate a lasting interest in history, enabling our pupils to develop a strong foundation of knowledge and understanding of the past. We want our children to grasp how history has influenced relationships, cultures, religions, and diverse societies in the present, while aligning with our school values of "all valued, all achieving, all equal." Our aim is to equip our pupils with the essential skills to analyse historical sources critically, recognise multiple perspectives, and make informed judgements. We believe that a high-quality history education helps pupils shape their identity and provides the cultural capital necessary to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.

Our History curriculum has been carefully designed to align with the National Curriculum, ensuring comprehensive coverage and progression across all key stages. This year, we have implemented the Rising Stars History Curriculum to enhance our humanities offering. This curriculum promotes continuity and progression, enabling pupils to develop a strong understanding of key historical periods and concepts.

Our thoughtfully designed curriculum provides a wide-ranging and well-rounded coverage of historical knowledge and skills throughout the primary years. Through our curriculum, we strive to achieve the following:

• Constructing the Past: Encourage pupils to create a cohesive narrative of the past. By examining primary and secondary sources, they develop the ability to piece together historical events and periods.
• Understanding Chronology: Help pupils grasp the sequence of events and understand how they contribute to the overall historical narrative through the chronological study of historical periods.
• Change and Development: Explore the dynamic nature of history, emphasising how societies have evolved over time.
• Cause and Effect: Investigate historical events and their consequences, developing an understanding of the cause-and-effect relationships that shape societies.
• Significance and Interpretation: Promote the skills needed to interpret multiple perspectives while exploring the significance of historical events.
• Planning and Conducting Historical Enquiries: Develop pupils' ability to plan, conduct, and evaluate historical enquiries.
• Using Sources as Evidence: Support pupils' evaluation and utilisation of primary and secondary sources as evidence to support historical arguments.

We have structured our curriculum to provide a balanced exploration of local, national, and global history. This approach allows pupils to understand the development of Britain and explore cultures and civilisations from around the world. Our lessons are carefully sequenced, building upon prior knowledge and skills. We revisit and reinforce key concepts throughout the curriculum, enabling children to make connections across different historical periods. This approach deepens their understanding and helps them establish personal connections with the past.