History
Intent
At St Mark’s C.E. Junior School, history is taught through five key threads: Civilisation, Beliefs and Religion, Rulers and Governance, Invasion, and Legacy. These threads run through every history unit from Year 3 to Year 6, enabling pupils to make meaningful comparisons across different periods and societies while building a secure chronological understanding of the past.
Each lesson deliberately focuses on one or more of these threads and is carefully linked to previous learning. This helps pupils revisit important concepts and recognise patterns of change, continuity, similarity and difference over time. For example, when studying the Ancient Egyptians, pupils compare settled farming communities along the Nile with the development of settlements during the Stone Age and Iron Age. Later, when learning about Ancient Greece, Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, they continue to explore how different civilisations organised their societies and adapted to their environments.
The Beliefs and Religion thread examines how people's beliefs influenced daily life, from Stone Age worship of nature and ancestors to the polytheistic religions of the Egyptians, Romans, Maya and Vikings, and the spread of Christianity in Anglo-Saxon Britain. Through Rulers and Governance, pupils investigate different systems of leadership, including tribal leaders, pharaohs, Greek governments, Roman law, Anglo-Saxon kings and modern wartime government decisions.
The Invasion thread helps pupils understand conflict, migration and conquest. Children study how invasions shaped Britain and the wider world, from Iron Age tribal warfare to Roman conquest, Anglo-Saxon settlement, Viking raids and the Battle of Britain. Finally, the Legacy thread encourages pupils to consider the lasting impact of historical societies, such as farming practices, language, engineering, medicine, democracy, mathematics and human rights.
By continually revisiting these five threads and explicitly connecting new learning to prior knowledge, pupils develop a coherent understanding of history. They learn not only what happened in the past, but also how different civilisations, beliefs, leaders, invasions and legacies have shaped the world we live in today.
Inclusion in History
At St Mark's, we use artefacts, immersive experiences and learning threads to make the curriculum accessible and engaging for all children. Real objects, hands-on activities and memorable experiences help pupils develop understanding through seeing, touching, discussing and exploring concepts in meaningful ways.
Teachers carefully model new learning, introduce key vocabulary and make links between current and previous learning so that children can build confidence and deepen their understanding. Learning threads help pupils make connections across topics and remember important knowledge over time.
This approach supports different learning styles, promotes communication and curiosity, and ensures that every child can actively participate, develop understanding and experience success regardless of their starting point.
At St Mark's we also feel that learning from real life situations enables pupils to achieve in the easiest way. Therefore, we see the potential in learning outside the classroom. Each year group will ensure that they plan class trips to enriched and well resourced sites. For example, Chedworth Roman Villa, The Black Country Living Museum or Gloucester Folk Museum. If, for any chance, we don't feel it appropriate or that we just can't get to Greece...we will run a themed day - usually where the children dress up for effect.
Please see below for an overview created by Subject Lead, Mrs Clarke
History Curriculum Journey
What does "Mastery" in History look like?
A child working in greater depth will have a secure and deep knowledge of local, British and world history whilst noting connections, contrasts and trends. They should devise historically valid questions and construct informed responses through the use of multiple sources of evidence and be able to talk about how sources of evidence are reliable or not. A child working in greater depth will also be able to apply what they have learnt to current global issues or events.
Top Tips for Parents...
- Visit local places of historical interest
- Make history a ‘family affair’. Why not make meal times a time to discuss the history of your family? You could share photographs, stories, letters etc.
- Invest in, rent out or borrow the ‘Horrible Histories’ series of books written by Terry Deary
- Find historical fiction to read with your child and take time to talk about the events
- Spend time watching Newsround with your child and discussing modern events that may link to the past
Useful Web Links..
Looking to do some history home-schooling?
https://www.theschoolrun.com/best-history-home-schooling-resources
Take a look at this page which has loads of great history apps for primary age children
https://www.theschoolrun.com/best-history-apps-for-kids
This page has fabulous history book recommendations
https://www.theschoolrun.com/best-history-books-for-children
Others of interest...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/forkids/