History

Rationale

At Lathom, we believe that a high-quality history education helps pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. It allows our children to
develop their curiosity about the past and allows them to think critically, ask questions, evaluate evidence and arguments, and develop perspective and judgement of their own. Our history
teaching helps pupils to understand the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as reflecting on their own place in history.

The curriculum

Our history curriculum has been designed to be both knowledge-rich and coherently sequenced. Knowledge means not only substantive knowledge of historical events, dates and people in the
past, but also knowledge of substantive concepts in history (such as ‘empire’, ‘monarchy’ and ‘civil war’), and disciplinary historical concepts (such as evidence, causation, significance and
interpretation).

Another key aspect of the history curriculum at Lathom is the development of children’s ability to think critically about what they are seeing. This could be through investigating their own lines of enquiry and evaluating the validity of historical evidence and arguments.

Bydeveloping these skills children will be able to pass their own judgments about historical figures and events, while making links to other similar figures and events in other time periods including the present.

Year 3

Ancient Greece: A study of Greek life and achievements and their influence on the Western World

Change in Britain from the Stone Age: Neolithic hunter gatherers, early farmers, focused study of Skara Brae.

Bronze Age to Iron Age: Technology, religion and travel, with a focus study of Stonehenge. Iron Age: Hill forts and tribal Kingdoms.

 

Year 4

Anglo Saxons: Britain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots.

Romans: Their impact on Britain.

Mayans: Non-European society that provides contrast with British History

 

Year 5

Ancient Egypt: depth study into as early civilization, including their achievements.

Vikings: The Viking struggle for the kingdom of England.

Themes in British History: Look at what the monarchy is and how the power of the monarchy has changed over history.

 

Year 6

World War 2: Battle of Britain

Changes in an aspect of social history: Crime and Punishment

A non-European Study: Benin (West Africa)

 

Useful links

BBC Horrible histories

BBC history for Kids