History

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Intent (Why we learn…)

St Saviour’s Catholic Primary and Nursery School recognise how history is all around us; in our families with their unique backgrounds, cultures and traditions and in our local and wider communities. St Saviour’s aims to ignite children’s curiosity about the past in Britain and the wider world; provide a broad curriculum providing knowledge, developing understanding of concepts, making links and instilling a love of history in all our children.

To be enthusiastic, inquisitive, lifelong learners: we ensure that children are able to make enquiries within history to develop an understanding of concepts, knowledge and skills. We provide children with a good chronological understanding, explore different periods of history and discover key historical figures to promote inquisitiveness and to be inspired making links between the past and the present day.
To be strong communicators: we encourage children to confidently communicate their understanding about historical concepts, time periods they have learnt about and historical figures using historical terminology. We want children to ask and answer questions, showing their understanding of historical events that have made an impact in our world today.
To be well-rounded, independent and resilient learners with aspirations: we believe that having secure historical knowledge, understanding historical concepts and learning more about the past using a range of skills and sources, will enable children to think critically, ask insightful questions and contextualise historical information. This will help to build independent and resilient learners with aspirations for the future.
To develop and use their God given talents by being creative: we provide opportunities for children to use their God given talents within history to think creatively, ask questions and motivate change in the world.
To be responsible citizens who are eager to make a positive contribution to their community and wider society: we aim to create children who are eager to ask and answer historical questions about past; to make a positive impact within the wider society; developing a context for their own growing sense of identity and showing an understanding of how the past has influenced our lives and shaped the world we live in today.

Children are provided with historical texts within classroom reading corners, to promote a love of reading and to deepen their learning of periods of time throughout the past. Children will also explore high quality and engaging texts with a historical focus within reading and writing sessions.

Implementation (How we teach...)

At St Saviour’s, we use the National Curriculum to ensure every teacher teaches the knowledge and understanding appropriate to that key stage within the teaching of history. We believe in high expectations for all children through ‘Quality First’ teaching.

Teachers plan the curriculum for their year group using objectives that come from the National Curriculum. In Y1-Y6, we explore a topic each term. At the teacher’s discretion, they select one half of the term to deliver consecutive history lessons on a weekly basis.

In EYFS, ‘Understand the World’ provides the foundations for learning about the past in relation to children’s own life story and beginning to learn about people and events within history through books, illustrations and storytelling.

In Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 we use ‘PlanBee’ to assist with resourcing and lesson ideas. Our curriculum is well mapped out to ensure it is engaging and relevant. We have carefully planned a cohesive approach to learning about British history so that it is organised and taught chronologically to enable children to make links to previous learning, consolidate their knowledge and gain a broad and deep understanding of their given topic. Our use of knowledge organisers for each topic help ensure concepts are embedded into children’s long-term memories.

Through whole school approaches such as ‘Remembrance Day’ and ‘Black History Month’ we promote the profile of historical events and people to educate children on how the past has influenced the present day. Teachers find opportunities to develop children’s understanding through the use of workshops and visits in school, alongside trips out of school. For example, in the autumn term, Y3 visited the museum to learn all about Ancient Egypt and Y4 created a Roman-themed ‘play in a day’. In the spring term, Y2 had a visit from the local fire brigade to learn more about their job, enabling them to make links with their learning on the Great Fire of London. Y4 and Y5 also went a 4-day residential to York to learn more about the Romans and Vikings by visiting the Jorvik centre, looking at the Roman remains under the Minster, walking the city walls and becoming archaeologists at the DIG centre.

The use of ongoing assessment for learning and feedback within lessons enables teachers to address misconceptions and ensure progression within every history lesson. This then informs planning for future lessons and identifies where further individual or group support is needed. We use the ‘Sonar’ software package to track pupil progress and attainment in history alongside a summative topic test at the end of each learning sequence.

The history curriculum provides children with memorable experiences, diverse and rich opportunities from which they can learn and develop a range of skills. We aim for the children at St Saviour’s to be curious about the past and ask questions in order to make sense of the world in which we live today.

Impact (As a result…)

Through high-quality teaching, we can see the impact of our history curriculum through pupil’s books; as well as in pupil data, through pupil voice and whole school initiatives, which are evidenced on Tapestry.

Outcomes for all groups of pupils within the school are improving. Everything we do has the child at the centre, and strong relationships are built between pupils and staff alongside memorable, exciting and hands-on experiences to inspire and promote a thirst for learning within history.

Pupils’ progress in history is measured through assessments each term and learning tasks are planned to address misconceptions and gaps in learning.

Pupils not only leave St Saviour’s with a secure understanding of the history curriculum; but also, with an understanding of chronology and how the past has influenced how we live today. They leave being pupils who are inquisitive and reflective; who demonstrate a love of learning and who are critical and analytical thinkers able to make informed and balanced judgements based on their knowledge of the past.

Understanding the World EYFS

Children painted pictures of their family members and talked to the grown-ups about who are in their family. Children brought photographs of their family to add to the class display all about families .

Key Stage 1 and 2

November 2025

On Remembrance Day we remember those who fought in the wars. We wrote poems and made art to honour their bravery and keep their stories alive.

October 2025

We held an ‘International Evening’ celebration on Thursday 16th October 2025.

What a wonderful evening! We celebrated our diversity and shared our cultures with others. We enjoyed preparing and sharing delicious food from around the world and learning about other ways of life and traditions.

We celebrated Black History Month during October. Each class has a key figure to explore and learn more about their achievements.

Year 5 enjoyed creating digital books to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Thandiwe Newton. We were deeply inspired by Thandiwe Newton's quote about her name, "That's my name. It's always been my name. I'm taking back what's mine".

Year 3 created their own crowns when learning about Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul. They enjoyed listening to some of her most popular songs and singing along too!

Year 1 created art work inspired by Faith Ringold.

Yr 1 Grosvenor Museum, Chester

Year 1 had an amazing day learning all about toys at the Grosvenor Museum. They had a lot of fun exploring old toys, the hobby horses were a big hit! Then they made their very own kaleidoscope wtih beautiful patterns.

Y3 World Museum, Liverpool

Year 3 had a great time at the World Museum learning all about Ancient Egypt and mummification. They explored a wide range of ancient artefacts and loved dressing as the high priest and preparing a body ready for the afterlife.