History

‘A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots’

-Martin Garvey

At St. Mary’s, we aim to enable our children to develop a deep understanding of, not only our own cultural heritage, but also that of the wider world as well as an ability to understand the perspective of others.

In equipping the pupils with the knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past, they also develop the skills to:

explore cultural identities of the past and understand how this affects our cultural identity in the present.
find how some historical civilisations are linked.
understand that innovations from the past have shaped much of how societies function today.
understand how events globally have shaped our modern world.
Ask increasingly complex questions
question evidence
develop perspective of the wider world

Throughout the curriculum, we will encourage pupils to identify similarities and differences between ourselves and the period or culture being studied. This will enable pupils to develop an appreciation for our own and others’ cultures and is intended to breed celebration, tolerance and understanding of others.

Learning in history is based on three 'Big Ideas':

History topics covered are:

In Year 1, the children learn about their place in history and start to understand chronology. In the Spring term, they will learn about how toys have changed over time and in the Summer term, their topic is 'Exploration'.

In Year 2, the children start the year by looking at how schools have changed over history. This is followed in the Spring term by learning about the history of flight. The Summer term is spent learning what a monarch is and understanding how castles were designed and how they changed.

Years 3 and 4 will follow a two year cycle. In Cycle A, the children will study the Stone, Iron and Bronze Ages. This will be followed by a study of the Romans and finally, the invasion and settlement of the Anglo-Saxons.

In Cycle B, the children will study what the lives of children were like in Victorian times and compare them to their lives today. The Ancient Egyptians follow on with studies of pyramids and pharoahs and then finally, the Central American civilisation of the ancient Maya.

Year 5 start the Autumn term looking at the Vikings and whether their reputation as aggressive invaders is justified. The Tudors are the topic in the Spring term with an in depth look at Henry VIII and Elizabeth I and then the Summer term introduces the ancient Greeks. This topic explains the history of democracy, the creation of the Olympics and the impact of the greeks on the world's architectiure, art and theatre.

In Year 6, the children have the opportunity at studying Victorian society through the creation the the census. They are also able to look at how the people of Hadleigh changed from the size and types of households to where they lived, and where they worked. In the Spring term, they look in depth at World War 2, researching causes and effects, innovations developed during that period which helped bring the war to a successful conclusion, and the crucial role of women, migrants and other civilians and how they changed and helped rebuild the country in the years that followed.

Other topics Year 6 may follow are:

What is the Sikh Empire

Who should go on the £10 banknote?