History
St Ambrose RC Primary School - History Curriculum Intent
“The one who concentrates his mind and his meditation on the lay of the highest, he researches into the Wisdom of all the Ancients.'' (Sirach 39:1)
At St Ambrose, we reflect the National Curriculum aims to:
- Develop within children the understanding of Britain’s past in a coherent way, along with that of the wider world.
- Develop critical thinking, inquisitive questioning and uses of various forms of sources to weigh up the evidence and interpret the meaning.
- History helps children understand how the cultural diversity of Britain and the world today has been shaped by the past.
- Our children are developed to be aspirational and ambitious and have a transformative effect on society.
In this subject:
At St Ambrose, children learn about past events and what causes and changes have come from them. They will look upon the complexity of History and disseminate information accurately and critically, thus developing their aspirations and creating confident, resilient learners who will have a transformative effect on society moving forward. High-quality texts in History and the development of abstract language enhance the vocabulary of children in our school to enable them to communicate more fully with their peers and the wider community. History provides memorable moments for children to develop their cultural capital and transferable skills created through their interconnected understanding of the world through various mediums (drama, art, D&T, geography, English, etc.) The children have many opportunities to develop an understanding of the moral, social and cultural aspects of history, which develops their understanding of causation, change, and impact.
At St Ambrose, children develop critical thinking and independence through topics in school, encouraging them to be more self-aware of events that are happening today and look at what we can learn from the past. This, in turn, helps our children to develop their understanding of the world and become advocates for greater social justice. Children develop their understanding of why they are learning about history and its connection to other subjects and their lives beyond school so that they can appreciate its place in the world and take pride in learning about who came before them and who may help develop them into transformative figures for the future. Through learning about the world’s historical events, its changes and the impact they had on the people that lived in that time, children are able to see how the past has shaped the world and how their own lives have been enhanced by learning form the history of yesterday, developing in children a respect for others and humbleness at their place in this world.
In God's family, we grow and learn, in love hope and faith.
Why teach History?
‘History is a living subject and one that prepares children for the future by helping them analyse the past' Hywel Roberts
What do our children think?...
'It helps us remember what happened in the past and in the future we can realise what may happen.' Year 5 Pupil
'It gives us an understanding of what happened in the past' Year 3 Pupil
'Because it is fun to learn about history, and we learn about new people who achieved great things. It helps us learn what it felt like for people who lived in the past.' Year 2 Pupil
Our Learning
Please click on the links below to view the topic knowledge organisers for the different year groups to find out more about what we are learning.
Nursery
Past and Now |
Family Histories |
Objects used in the past and now
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The story of Jesus and the Prophet Mohammed | Jobs in the past and present | Stories of people who lived in the past in China and the UK |
Reception
Yesterday, today and tomorrow. |
Familiar situations in the past: Christmas | Shops in the past- comparisons |
Organise events using basic chronology
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Key figures from the past and present | Familiar situations in the past: Holidays |
Year 1
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Significant National People: Mary Seacole, Florence Nightingale and Eva Lowe |
Changes beyond living memory: History of Transport |
Year 2
![]() Significant National Event:The Great Fire of London |
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Significant Local People, Places and Events : Sir John Alcock and Arthur Brown |
Year 3
Changes in Britain from Stone Age to Iron Age: Prehistoric Britain. |
An overview of the earliest civilisations: Sumer, Egpyt, Indus, Shang |
In depth study of an earliest civilisation: Ancient Egypt |
Year 4
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Local History Study: Roman Impact on Britain |
Year 5
British History: Britains settlements by the Anglo-Saxons and Scots |
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Local History Study: The cotton trade and the impact of the Industrial Revolution on Manchester |
Year 6
A non-European society that provides contrasts with British history: Maya |
Study of a theme extending beyond 1066: Struggle between Monarchy and Parliament over time |
Local History Study: Peterloo Massacre |
Special Events
BHM 2021:
Black culture, histories, individuals, and achievements are celebrated throughout our curriculum.
We recognise it is worth much more than one month, which is why we learn and commemorate and celebrate these stories and experiences throughout.
Remembrance Day 2021:
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Home-learning Links
https://www.literacyshed.com/history.html
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
https://www.travelandleisure.com/attractions/museums-galleries/museums-with-virtual-tours
https://www.youtube.com/user/britishmuseum
http://www.teachinghistory100.org/
https://invisible-cities.org/kids-section free to download virtual tours of Manchester and other cities in the UK, supporting homeless people in the city. Donation suggested.