At Abbey Park Primary School, our history curriculum helps pupils to understand the past, make sense of the present and consider their role in the future. Through the study of history, children develop a secure sense of chronology, identity and place, supported by our curriculum drivers of sustainability and identity and equity.

Our history curriculum is built around the key knowledge pathways of conflict and resolution, innovation through time and identity and belief. These themes run throughout the curriculum from Early Years to Year 7, helping pupils to make meaningful connections between historical periods, societies and significant events across time. The curriculum is carefully designed to prepare pupils for continued success as historians as they move through primary education and into the next stage of learning.

What children learn

Our history curriculum is carefully planned to ensure pupils gain a coherent understanding of British history and the wider world. Pupils study a range of historical periods, societies and significant individuals, enabling them to understand how the past has shaped the world we live in today.

Across the school, learning is built around key recurring ideas such as:

• conflict and resolution
• innovation and development through time
• identity and belief
• power and leadership
• settlement, civilisation and change

These concepts are revisited across different topics and year groups so that pupils deepen their understanding and make connections in their learning over time. Pupils learn how societies have changed, how beliefs and values have influenced communities and how conflict and innovation have shaped human history.

Building knowledge over time

History is taught in a carefully sequenced way from Early Years to Year 7, allowing pupils to build knowledge progressively.

• In Early Years, children begin by exploring their own lives and the recent past, developing early understanding of time, change and difference.
• In Key Stage 1, pupils develop an understanding of simple chronology and begin to learn about significant people, events and historical changes.
• In Lower Key Stage 2, pupils study ancient civilisations, settlements and early British history, building their understanding of chronology and historical connections.
• In Upper Key Stage 2 and Year 7, pupils explore more complex periods of British and world history, examining themes such as conflict, innovation, belief and social change in greater depth.
• Knowledge pathways such as conflict and resolution, innovation through time and identity and belief are revisited and strengthened across each year group so that pupils build secure understanding over time and make meaningful links between different historical periods and societies.
• By the end of Year 7, pupils are able to think critically about historical events, understand how the past influences the present and apply disciplinary historical skills with increasing confidence and independence.

Throughout the curriculum, prior learning is regularly revisited to ensure pupils remember key knowledge and build secure long-term understanding.

Thinking like a historian

In addition to knowledge, pupils are taught how to work as historians. This includes:

• asking and answering questions about the past
• exploring cause and consequence
• identifying similarities and differences
• understanding continuity and change over time
• considering the significance of events and individuals
• using and evaluating historical sources and evidence

These disciplinary skills are explicitly taught and developed across the school, enabling pupils to think critically, analyse evidence and form their own interpretations of the past.

Language, vocabulary and communication

Developing historical vocabulary is a key priority. Pupils are taught and encouraged to use subject-specific language such as civilisation, monarchy, invasion, democracy, empire and evidence accurately in both discussion and writing.

Opportunities for talk are built into lessons so that pupils can:

• explain their ideas
• justify their thinking using evidence
• discuss different viewpoints
• debate interpretations of historical events

This supports both understanding and confidence across the curriculum.

Making connections

Where meaningful, history is linked to other subjects to deepen understanding. Pupils explore history through:

• local studies and the history of their community
• wider world history and diverse cultures
• themes of fairness, equality and human experience
• exploring how beliefs and values have shaped societies over time

Links are also made through high-quality texts used within the school’s Literacy Tree approach, allowing pupils to deepen their historical understanding through rich vocabulary, storytelling and diverse historical perspectives. This helps pupils make meaningful connections between reading, writing and their historical learning.

This supports pupils in understanding different perspectives and the diversity of human societies, reflecting the school’s commitment to identity and equity.

Applying learning

Pupils are given regular opportunities to apply their knowledge through:

• discussion and debate
• short and extended writing
• enquiry-based tasks
• interpreting sources and evidence
• presentations and historical investigations

This ensures pupils are not only learning facts, but are able to use their knowledge to explain, reason and draw conclusions about the past.

Assessment and progress

Assessment is ongoing and used to support learning. Teachers:

• check understanding regularly through questioning and retrieval
• assess pupils’ ability to recall and apply knowledge
• evaluate how well pupils use historical skills and vocabulary
• monitor pupils’ understanding of chronology, significance and historical interpretation

This ensures that learning is secure and that any gaps are identified and addressed.

What pupils achieve

By the end of Year 7, pupils at Abbey Park Primary School:

• have a secure chronological understanding of key periods in British and world history
• can explain how and why events happened and their impact on societies
• understand themes of conflict and resolution, innovation through time and identity and belief
• use historical vocabulary confidently and accurately
• understand how historians investigate and interpret the past
• show curiosity, critical thinking and engagement in their learning

They leave with the knowledge, understanding and disciplinary skills needed for the next stage of their education as thoughtful, informed and reflective learners.

Inclusion

Our history curriculum is designed so that all pupils can access and succeed. Teaching is adapted to meet the needs of all learners through:

• scaffolding and support where needed
• clear explanations and modelling
• opportunities for challenge and deeper thinking
• the use of visual, practical and discussion-based approaches to learning

This ensures every child can develop as a historian, regardless of their starting point.