At Thames View, History helps pupils understand how people, communities and societies have changed over time, and how the past continues to shape the world we live in today. Pupils learn about their own lives, family history, local history, British history and significant world civilisations, developing knowledge of chronology, change, society and legacy. Our History curriculum follows the National Curriculum and is shaped around the needs, context and experiences of pupils at Thames View.
How History develops Global Citizens
History helps pupils understand how people’s choices, beliefs and actions have shaped communities, societies and the wider world. Through local, national and global studies, pupils learn about everyday life, power, belief, conflict, class, invention, migration and legacy. This helps them think carefully about the past, understand different perspectives and consider how history can help us shape a fairer future.
Our History Narrative Threads
Our History curriculum is organised around three narrative threads. These help pupils revisit important historical ideas over time, moving from their own lives, families and familiar communities to a wider understanding of British and world history.
Thread 1: Everyday Life
Pupils learn how everyday life has changed over time. They begin by exploring changes in their own lives, families, homes, schools and communities, before learning about how people lived in different periods of history. Pupils consider homes, work, childhood, transport, leisure, beliefs, tools, food, settlements and daily routines, helping them understand both change and continuity.
Thread 2: Society
Pupils learn how communities, societies and civilisations have developed over time. They explore how people have lived together, how societies have been organised, and how power, class, leadership, belief, conflict, invention and trade have shaped people’s lives. This thread helps our pupils understand that societies are created by people’s choices and can change over time.
Thread 3: Global Legacy
Pupils learn how significant people, events, civilisations and conflicts have shaped the world we live in today. They explore the impact of historical developments locally, nationally and globally, considering what changed, what continued, and why some events or people are remembered. This helps pupils understand that the past has consequences and that history can help us make thoughtful choices for the future.
How we teach History
In History, pupils revisit prior learning before being introduced to new historical knowledge. They use timelines, stories, artefacts, images, written sources, maps and historical accounts to explore the past. Pupils are taught to think like historians by asking questions, using evidence, comparing periods, identifying change and continuity, considering cause and consequence, and thinking about historical significance.
Pupils also learn through local history, visits, visitors and carefully chosen texts, helping them connect classroom learning to real people, places and events.
Vocabulary and subject talk
Vocabulary is taught explicitly in every unit. Pupils learn and revisit important vocabulary such as past, present, chronology, timeline, source, evidence, change, continuity, society, empire, conflict, migration and legacy. This helps them explain their thinking clearly, talk about the past with accuracy and make links to prior learning.
Teachers model high-quality historical talk and provide sentence stems where needed so that all pupils can take part in discussion.
Inclusion and Removing Barriers
Pupils may have limited background knowledge or experience of historical places, events and periods beyond their own lives and local community. We use stories, timelines, artefacts, photographs, videos, visits, drama, maps and first-hand experiences to make the past meaningful.
Teachers also use clear explanations, explicit vocabulary teaching, visual support, retrieval, sentence stems and practical activities so that all pupils, including pupils with SEND, can access the same ambitious History curriculum.
Progression in History
Our History progression map shows how pupils build knowledge, vocabulary and historical skills from Nursery to Year 6. This will be added to the page once finalised.
Useful Websites
BBC Bitesize History
Horrible Histories
DK Find Out History
The British Museum
Historic England
Imperial War Museums