The importance of History

History helps pupils to ask and answer questions of the present by engaging with the past.

It fires their curiosity and imagination, moving and inspiring them by the dilemmas, choices and beliefs of people in the past.

It helps them develop their own identity through an understanding of history at personal, local, national and international levels.

Pupils find out about the history of their community, Britain, Europe and the world.

They develop a chronological overview that enables them to make connections within and across different periods and societies, investigate Britain's relationships with the wider world, and relate past events to the present day.

History encourages mutual understanding of the historic origins of our ethnic and cultural diversity, and helps pupils become confident and questioning individuals.

Programmes of Study

Key Stage 1

During key stage 1 pupils learn about people's lives and lifestyles. They learn how the past is different from the present.

Pupils should be taught the knowledge, skills and understanding through studying changes in their own lives and the way of life of their family or others around them

Link to National Curriculum History - Key Stage 1

Key Stage 2

During key stage 2 pupils learn about significant people, events and places from both the recent and more distant past.

They learn about change and continuity in their own area, in Britain and in other parts of the world.

They look at history in a variety of ways, for example from political, economic, technological and scientific, social, religious, cultural or aesthetic perspectives.

They use different sources of information to help them investigate the past both in depth and in overview, using dates and historical vocabulary to describe events, people and developments.

They also learn that the past can be represented and interpreted in different ways.

In particular for Year 5/6 :
Study Unit 13: How has life in Britain changed since 1948?
They will develop their historical understanding of the period, including the characteristic features and diversity of popular culture, make links between changes both within and across the period, and apply their skills of historical enquiry to a study of the recent past.

Link to National Curriculum History - Key Stage 2

Key Stage 3

During key stage 3 pupils show their understanding by making connections between events and changes in the different periods and areas studied, and by comparing the structure of societies and economic, cultural and political developments.

The curriculum should provide opportunities for pupils to:

explore the ways in which the past has helped shape identities, shared cultures, values and attitudes today

examine history from a variety of perspectives, including political, religious, social, cultural, aesthetic, economic, technological and scientific


Chronological understanding
Chronological understanding is essential in constructing historical narratives and explanations. It involves using precise dates to establish sequences of events in an enquiry, using chronological terms and vocabulary (such as century, decade, BC, AD), and knowing the names and key features of periods studied.

Cultural, ethnic and religious diversity
Pupils should learn about cultural, ethnic and religious diversity and racial equality. Diversity exists between groups due to cultural, ethnic, regional, linguistic, social, economic, technological, political and religious differences and exists within groups between individuals.

Change and continuity
When identifying change and continuity (absence of change) pupils should identify themes and issues across time. This helps to describe and explain what was happening in the past. Understanding of change
and continuity is closely linked to developing a sense of period and understanding overarching themes and issues.

In order to give pupils a secure chronological framework, the choice of content should ensure that all pupils can identify and understand the major events, changes and developments in British, European and world history.