History Subject Statement

 

Perseverance  – Our history curriculum encourages children to think deeply, question evidence, and revisit ideas as their understanding grows. Through exploring different historical figures, sources and interpretations, children learn that developing historical knowledge takes time, resilience, and careful thought, fostering the perseverance needed to investigate the past with curiosity and determination.

Ambition –By exploring significant events, civilisations and influential individuals, children are encouraged to broaden their horizons, raise their aspirations, and recognise how learning from history can empower them to shape their own futures

Curiosity – Our curriculum is designed to nurture children’s natural curiosity about people, places, and events, deepening their understanding by making connections and seeking answers about the world around them.

Kindness – We aim to inspire a lifelong love of learning about the history of the world and its people, encouraging children to approach different cultures, experiences, and perspectives with empathy and understanding. Through this, we support children in developing compassion and challenging misconceptions or stereotypes in a thoughtful and considerate way.

 

Curriculum Intent

At St John’s, we aim for our children to be – Inspired by yesterday, Learning today, Leading tomorrow – and believe passionately that study of history is a foundation in achieving this. We deliver a high-quality history curriculum, aligned with the National Curriculum, through the Kapow Primary scheme of work, that inspires children’ curiosity about the past and develops a secure understanding of Britain’s history and that of the wider world.

Our intent is to ensure that children:

• Develop a coherent chronological understanding of local, British and world history.
• Understand how people’s lives have shaped the nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world.
• Gain knowledge of significant events, individuals and civilisations.
• Think critically, ask perceptive questions and evaluate evidence.
• Understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity and difference, and significance.
• Develop their historical vocabulary and communicate ideas confidently.

Through the curriculum, children encounter diverse histories and perspectives, enabling them to appreciate how the past has shaped the present and to develop respect for different cultures and experiences. In addition, we help children to contextualise their learning in their local environment through our Local History Week where each year group studies an aspect of history within our historically significant market town. This enables or children to develop a deep understanding of the history, and its impact, of Wallingford and develop a sense of pride in place.

 

Curriculum Implementation

History is aligned to the National Curriculum and taught through Kapow Primary’s carefully sequenced units, ensuring clear progression of substantive knowledge (facts and content) and disciplinary knowledge (how historians work).

Our implementation ensures that:

• Units are organised chronologically where appropriate to build secure understanding of time and period.
• Knowledge organisers support children in retaining key facts, vocabulary and concepts.
• Lessons are enquiry-led, encouraging children to ask and answer historical questions.
• Children regularly analyse a range of sources, developing skills in interpreting evidence and understanding reliability.
• Retrieval practice and revisiting prior learning help strengthen long-term memory.
• Vocabulary is explicitly taught and embedded.
• Cross-curricular links are made where meaningful, while maintaining the integrity of history as a distinct subject.
• Assessment is ongoing, through questioning, discussion, and end-of-unit tasks that demonstrate knowledge and skills.

Learning is adapted to ensure all children can access the curriculum, with scaffolding and challenge provided where appropriate. 

 

Curriculum Impact

Regular reviews of teaching, learning and progress are made through lesson observations, learning walks, book reviews and child interviews. Our knowledge of children’s learning is informed by formative assessment of children’s learning in lessons and their oral and written responses and summative assessment through optional end-of-unit mini-assessments.

As a result of this implementation, the impact of our history curriculum is evident in pupils who:

• Demonstrate secure chronological understanding.
• Retain and recall key historical knowledge.
• Use subject-specific vocabulary accurately.
• Ask perceptive questions and construct informed, evidence-based responses.
• Understand the significance of local history within the broader national and global context.
• Show enthusiasm and curiosity about the past.

By the end of Year 6, pupils leave our school with a strong foundation in historical knowledge and skills. They are well prepared for Key Stage 3 and equipped to understand how history shapes their lives, their community and the wider world.