History
The Lime History curriculum, in partnership with CUSP History, supports pupils with gaining coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. The History curriculum draws upon prior learning, wherever content is taught, aiming to inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past. The structure is built around the principles of advancing cumulative knowledge, chronology, change through cause and effect, as well as making connections within and throughout periods of time studied. The teaching of History equips pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments and develop perspective and judgement. The History curriculum supports pupils with understanding the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups.
The sequence in KS1 focuses on young children developing a sense of time, place and change. It begins with children studying Changes within living memory to develop an understanding of difference over time within concrete experiences of their lives. In KS1, pupils study local history through significant events, people and places. The locality is further understood by knowing about the places, the buildings, the events and the people that tell a story of the past. Events beyond their living memory is where pupils draw upon early concepts of chronology and connect it to more abstract, but known, events in the past focusing on the Great Fire of London. There are further opportunities for pupils to revisit and retrieve prior learning with a focus on ‘Events beyond living memory’.
In lower KS2, pupils study the cultural and technological advances made by our ancestors as well as understanding how historians think Britain changed throughout the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages. Having an in-depth understanding of Iron Age Britain offers solid foundations for the study of how Rome influenced Britain. Substantive concepts such as invasion, law, civilisation and society are developed through explicit vocabulary instruction. Pupils also study the Maya Civilisation and how it links to the knowledge of Anglo Saxons. The study compares advancement of the Maya culture and innovation to that of the Anglo-Saxons around c.AD 900. Here, location, settlement, people, culture and invention are compared and contrasted.
In upper KS2, pupils study how Britain was settled by Anglo-Saxons and Scots and gives a focus on cultural change and the influence of Christianity. Pupils study how powerful kings and their beliefs shaped the Heptarchy of Anglo-Saxon Britain. Pupils also study Significant monarchs after 1066. Five kings and queens are a focus of a depth study and comparison, drawing on their beliefs, actions and understanding their legacy. Ancient history, such as the achievements of the earliest civilisations -Ancient Egyptians and the study of Ancient Greek life and achievements are also studied learning about their influence on the western world.. Recent history, such as the Battle of Britain for example, is studied in the context of how conflict changed society in the Second World War. Modern history is also studied through units such as the Windrush Generation. Knowing about slavery, Caribbean culture and the injustice of the past enlightens pupils to understand why events happened and how these pioneers faced racism, discrimination and prejudice.
For further detail and narrative around the history curriculum and how it develops from EYFS through to Year 6, see the CUSP History narrative.