History
Intent
At Egerton Primary School, our History curriculum is designed to ignite curiosity, foster critical thinking, and cultivate a deep understanding of how the past has shaped the world we live in today. We aim to develop pupils into informed, thoughtful, and reflective citizens through engaging, inclusive, and well-sequenced learning experiences.
Our curriculum begins in the Early Years Foundation Stage, where children explore the concept of time by discussing themselves, their families, and past and present events in their own lives. These early experiences lay the foundation for historical understanding and a sense of continuity and change.
In Key Stage 1, pupils build upon this awareness through familiar and tangible topics such as our town, school, and toys, helping them understand how life has changed over time. As they progress through Key Stage 2, pupils study historical periods in chronological order—from the Stone Age and Roman Britain to the Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, and Post-1066 Britain—connecting events and developments across time.
We also emphasize the importance of breadth and diversity. Pupils learn about local history (Knutsford), ancient civilizations (Indus Valley, Ancient Maya), and global themes such as migration, innovation, and identity. These experiences nurture empathy, cultural awareness, and an understanding of the wider world.
Our History Thread Map 2024–25 underpins the intent of our curriculum. It interweaves seven key historical threads—Power & Resistance, Migration & Settlement, Technology & Innovation, Beliefs & Values, Environment & Sustainability, Identity & Diversity, and Legacy & Influence—ensuring that pupils revisit these big ideas at increasing depth as they progress through the school.
SEND Provision: Our History curriculum is designed to be fully inclusive. Pupils with SEND have access to scaffolded activities, visual timelines, differentiated questioning, and practical learning opportunities to ensure they achieve meaningful progress alongside their peers.
Implementation
History is taught through a structured and progressive curriculum that builds knowledge, vocabulary, and enquiry skills over time. Each unit is planned to develop both substantive knowledge (the facts and content of history) and disciplinary knowledge (how historians investigate, interpret, and construct arguments about the past).
Teachers utilize the Egerton Curriculum and Outcomes document alongside the Skills Progression 2024–25 and History Thread Map 2024–25 to ensure that teaching is consistent, clearly sequenced, and ambitious. These documents assist teachers in planning for continuity and progression, ensuring that learning builds cumulatively from year to year and enables pupils to make meaningful connections across time periods.
Learning is brought to life through artefacts, enquiry, storytelling, and hands-on investigation. Pupils are encouraged to think like historians—analysing evidence, exploring cause and consequence, understanding change, and considering multiple perspectives.
Enrichment experiences play a vital role in developing pupils' love of history. Each year group participates in a historical visit linked to their studies:
- Year 1: Visits Tatton Park to explore life in the past and local history.
- Year 2: Engages in a workshop on The Great Fire of London, deepening understanding of this significant event.
- Year 3: Experiences Delamere Forest to learn about the lives and settlements of the Anglo-Saxons.
- Year 4: Travels to Chester to deepen understanding of Roman Britain.
- Year 5: Participates in a workshop on the Vikings, exploring their culture and impact.
- Year 6: Visits Quarry Bank Mill to study the Industrial Revolution and local industry.
These carefully chosen experiences help pupils connect classroom learning with real-world history, deepening understanding and sparking curiosity.
Cross-curricular links: History is embedded across writing, art, and geography. Pupils write diaries, reports, and persuasive texts; create artwork and maps reflecting historical periods; and explore geographical connections to historical events.
Assessment: Ongoing and purposeful, including retrieval practice, low-stakes quizzes, discussion, and written outcomes. Assessment evidence informs teaching and ensures all pupils, including those with SEND, make strong progress.
Impact
By the end of their time at Egerton, pupils have developed:
- A secure chronological understanding and grasp of key historical concepts.
- The confidence to ask and answer historically valid questions.
- The ability to explain how and why change happens and to evaluate evidence critically.
- Awareness of diverse experiences and voices throughout history.
- Competence in articulating understanding through writing, discussion, and creative outcomes.
Pupil progress is assessed through class discussion, written outcomes, enquiry projects, and teacher assessment, supported by the Curriculum and Outcomes and Skills Progression frameworks.
Our History curriculum extends beyond the National Curriculum, fostering a lifelong love of learning, respect for diversity, and an understanding of how the past shapes the modern world.