History

History

At Fir Tree, history is taught as a rich, coherent and ambitious subject that helps pupils understand the past and how it has shaped the world they live in today. Our curriculum is carefully structured so that pupils build secure historical knowledge over time while also developing the skills of a historian. Each year group studies three history focuses across the year: one pre-1066 British history unit, one post-1066 British history unit and one unit of worldwide history. This balance ensures pupils gain a strong sense of Britain’s past alongside an understanding of global history.

History learning at Fir Tree is organised chronologically to support pupils’ developing understanding of time. In Key Stage 2, pupils begin with the Stone Age in Year 3, followed by the Romans in Year 4, the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings in Year 5, and the Norman Invasion in Year 6. Alongside this, pupils revisit later periods in a logical sequence: the Tudors in Year 3, the Victorians in Year 4, World War II in Year 5 and the rebuilding of Britain after World War II in Year 6. This carefully planned progression helps pupils make connections between periods, recognise patterns over time and understand how earlier events influence later ones.

Disciplinary progression sits at the heart of our history curriculum. Across each year group, pupils develop their understanding of chronology, historical enquiry and evidence, interpretation, cause and consequence, similarity and difference, change and continuity, communication and historical significance. These concepts are revisited and built upon year after year, allowing pupils to deepen their thinking and engage with increasingly complex and abstract ideas. Lessons are designed to regularly revisit prior knowledge, consolidate understanding and extend learning over time.

Every history lesson at Fir Tree includes clear substantive concepts and key information that pupils are expected to know and remember. Carefully selected vocabulary is explicitly taught and revisited so that pupils can confidently discuss historical ideas using precise language. This consistent approach supports staff in delivering a coherent and high-quality curriculum and ensures that pupils leave Fir Tree with strong historical knowledge, well-developed disciplinary skills and a genuine curiosity about the past.