We use a topic-based approach to bring the humanities alive.
Our history and geography topics are alternated with each other and a half-term of science and artist themed topics to create a rich and stimulating curriculum.
The history topics are linked across year groups, with children learning more about British and world history as they move through the school. Key Stage 2 units are sequenced broadly chronologically, and key concepts are built on and expanded as children learn more. Disciplinary knowledge is also developed through carefully chosen examples and using a range of historical sources.
We kick off our topics with ‘immersion days’ where pupils build up a bank of knowledge and explore their new topic through fun, creative activities. The school has established relationships with museums and other organisations in London ensuring exciting visits and high quality workshops are built into the school calendar.
Each history topic has a ‘key learning question’, which is introduced to children at the start of the topic and is returned to in subsequent lessons. At the end of the half-term children complete a piece of writing responding to the question and demonstrating their understanding using all they have learned through the topic.
Below are knowledge organisers for some of our History topics, which give an overview of the key knowledge and vocabulary for each topic, as well as showing how they build on each other. Children are introduced to these at the start of the topic and are quizzed throughout the half-term, using the knowledge to help them in their response to the key learning question.
Y1 History- Toys Through Time Knowledge Organiser
Y1- History of Flight Knowledge Organiser
Y2 History- Great Fire of London Knowledge Organiser
Y2 History – The Victorians Knowledge Organiser
Y3 History- Stone Age to Iron Age Knowledge Organiser
Y3 History – Ancient Egyptians Knowledge Organiser
Y4 History- Ancient Greeks Knowledge Organiser
Y4 History- Romans in Britain Knowledge Organiser
Y5 History- Anglo Saxons and Vikings Knowledge Organiser
Y5 History- Early Islamic Civilization Knowledge Organiser
Y6 History- Kingdom of Benin Knowledge Organiser
Y6 History- Immigration Through Time Knowledge Organiser