Read more about the history curriculum here:

History Curriculum Intent: To inspire and ignite the curiosity of the past and present and to understand the impact that historical events can have on our lives. We believe that History encourages pupils to consider how a variety of elements influenced people’s actions and develops the skills of researching and evaluating evidence, the knowledge of past events, civilisations and personalities and the concepts of chronology. 

The History Curriculum: Our Vision

"We are not makers of history. We are made by history"

Martin Luther King, Jr

Our History curriculum aims to excite the children and allow them to develop their skills as historians. Through careful planning, we deliver high-quality history education which will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. It provides a clear and comprehensive scheme of work that will show a progression of key skills across all key stages, focusing on investigating and interpreting the past, in-depth studies of world history and a secure understanding of chronology. 

History at St Matthew's Primary School is taught through discrete half termly units throughout the year. This allows the children to achieve depth in their learning and teachers are able to see clear progression across school. By the end of Year 6, children will have a chronological understanding of British history from the Stone Age to the present day. They are able to draw comparisons and make connections between different time periods and their own lives. Interlinked with this are studies of world history, such as the ancient civilisations of Egypt, Greece and the Early Islamic civilisation.

Bringing history alive is key for our young learners, therefore, wherever possible, we make use of external visits, visitors and the opportunity to observe and experience real life artefacts. Emphasis is placed on Historical enquiry and inclusion of a ‘WOW’ factor in each topic, which inspires children to have an excitement for finding out about the past.