History

History at Ickworth Park Primary School

At Ickworth Park Primary School, our History curriculum is designed to be ambitious, engaging and accessible for all pupils, building progressively on knowledge and skills from the Early Years to Year 6.

Our Intent

At Ickworth Park Primary School, our History curriculum is designed to:

Develop pupils’ ability to ask historical questions, analyse evidence, compare different periods of time and communicate their understanding of the past using historical vocabulary.
Build knowledge of significant people, events, civilisations and changes throughout history, while developing an understanding of chronology and how the past has shaped the present.
Foster key attitudes of curiosity about the past, respect for different cultures and experiences, critical thinking when examining historical sources and an appreciation of how history influences society today.

Our Approach

We use Kapow as a foundation for our curriculum, ensuring clear progression in knowledge and skills.

Teachers adapt this to ensure learning reflects the needs, interests and context of our pupils at Ickworth Park. Pupils build secure historical knowledge over time and are able to explain how and why societies, cultures and communities have changed throughout history.

Learning focusses on:

Developing historical vocabulary.
Understanding key concepts such as chronology, change and continuity, cause and consequence, and historical significance.
Building knowledge of significant people, events and civilisations in Britain and the wider world.
Developing skills in interpreting historical evidence and asking meaningful questions about the past.
Making connections between different periods of history and understanding their impact on the present day.

Progression

Learning in History begins in the Early Years, where children:
Explore their own lives, families and communities, developing an understanding of the past and how things change over time. Children talk about events in their own lives, look at photographs and artefacts, and begin to compare the past with the present through stories and real-life experiences.

As pupils move through school:

In Key Stage 1, pupils begin to: explore significant people, events and changes within living memory and beyond. They develop an understanding of chronology, use historical vocabulary, ask questions about the past and begin to use sources such as photographs, objects and stories to find out about history.
In Key Stage 2, pupils: develop a deeper understanding of local, British and world history. They investigate significant civilisations, events and individuals, make connections between different historical periods. They develop their ability to analyse evidence, explain causes and consequences and identify change and continuity.

By the end of Year 6, pupils are able to:
Use a secure chronological understanding of history to explain how and why societies have changed over time. They can confidently use historical vocabulary, interpret a range of sources, evaluate evidence and communicate informed conclusions about significant events, people and civilisations from Britain and the wider world.

Inclusion

All pupils are supported to access the history curriculum.

Learning is adapted through scaffolding, clear vocabulary and practical experiences.

Pupils may use resources such as iPads and reading pens to support access to learning.

Teaching ensures that pupils with SEND can engage fully alongside their peers.

What Makes History Special at Ickworth Park

At Ickworth Park, we enhance our History curriculum through a range of enrichment opportunities that bring the past to life and deepen pupils’ understanding of historical concepts.

Workshops and immersive experiences allow pupils to engage with history in practical and meaningful ways, helping them to develop a stronger understanding of different periods, people and events.
Year 3 History Days provide pupils with the opportunity to experience history beyond the classroom through themed activities, role play and hands-on learning, encouraging curiosity and a deeper connection with the past.
History-based trips throughout pupils’ time at school give children the opportunity to explore significant historical places, artefacts and environments, allowing them to apply their learning and make links between classroom knowledge and real-world experiences.

These experiences support pupils in developing historical enquiry skills, building cultural awareness and creating memorable learning experiences that enrich their understanding of the past.

Impact

Pupils are able to apply their historical knowledge to explore the past, make connections between different periods of time and explain their understanding using appropriate historical vocabulary and evidence.

Pupils develop:

A secure understanding of chronology, significant events, people and civilisations from Britain and the wider world.
The ability to use historical vocabulary confidently and communicate ideas about the past.
Curiosity about the lives of people in the past and the ability to question, investigate and interpret historical sources.
An understanding of how the past has shaped the world we live in today.

They leave Ickworth Park as confident, informed and reflective historians, with the knowledge and skills to question, investigate and understand the past and its influence on the present.