History

The Importance of History at Sir John Moore C.E. Primary School

At Sir John Moore C.E. Primary School, history is not just a subject; it's an integral part of our daily experience. Our school is housed in a Grade I listed building, designed by the renowned architect Sir Christopher Wren, and completed in 1697. This historic setting provides our pupils with a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the past while preparing for the future.

Living History Environment

Our school's rich heritage allows students to engage directly with history. The on-site museum, managed by the Sir John Moore Foundation, offers insights into the life of Sir John Moore, the building's architecture, and the evolution of education over the centuries. 

Educational Enrichment

We actively involve our pupils in heritage projects, collaborating with the on-site heritage group to explore historical themes and participate in events. This hands-on approach brings history to life, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of our cultural heritage.

Connecting Past and Future

Our association with the Wren 300 project, celebrating the 300th anniversary of Sir Christopher Wren's death, connects us to a broader historical narrative. This involvement underscores our commitment to honoring the past while embracing modern educational practices.

A Balanced Perspective

By learning in an environment steeped in history, our students develop a strong sense of identity and continuity. They gain an appreciation for historical achievements and are inspired to contribute positively to the future. At Sir John Moore C.E. Primary School, we truly have one foot in the past and one firmly in the future.

 

Rationale for our History Curriculum Design

To ensure that learning in history is adapted to meet the needs of all pupils in our mixed-age classes, we implement evidence-based practices guided by the Department for Education (DfE), the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), and Ofsted's framework for high-quality curriculum design.

The National Curriculum

The DfE’s National Curriculum mandates that schools provide content that is “accessible to all pupils,” ensuring appropriate challenge and support to meet developmental needs (DfE, 2014). In history, this means adapting units so they are suitable for pupils in Years 3, 4, and 5 simultaneously. Reflecting this principle, we scaffold learning by emphasising foundational knowledge and skills for younger pupils, such as sequencing events and identifying basic features of societies. For older pupils, we extend learning by encouraging them to analyse sources critically, make comparisons between societies, and construct well-reasoned arguments, ensuring their prior knowledge is deepened and applied at a higher level.

Scaffolding

The EEF’s Teaching and Learning Toolkit highlights scaffolding as a vital strategy to ensure all pupils make progress, particularly within mixed-age classes (EEF, 2021). Therefore, we differentiate tasks to match pupil readiness: younger pupils engage with concrete tasks such as sorting artefacts or constructing timelines, while older pupils tackle abstract concepts such as evaluating the reliability of sources or analysing connections across periods. This ensures all pupils access the same historical themes while engaging at a level appropriate to their stage of development.

Sequencing

Ofsted’s Education Inspection Framework emphasises the importance of a curriculum that is “ambitious, well-sequenced, and builds knowledge incrementally” (Ofsted, 2023). To meet these standards in history, our curriculum is structured to ensure key themes—such as change and continuity, cause and consequence, and historical significance—are revisited and progressively built upon across cycles and year groups. For example, in Cycle A, pupils study the Stone Age to Iron Age and Ancient Egypt, exploring themes such as technological advancements and societal structures. In Cycle B, they deepen their understanding of governance and cultural legacy through Ancient Greece and the Romans. Finally, in Cycle C, they examine the complexities of migration, invasion, and societal collapse through the Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, and Mayan civilisation.

Our approach ensures that while pupils engage with the same historical units, the content and tasks are adapted for each year group:

  • Year 3 focuses on foundational understanding, such as placing events in chronological order and identifying key features of societies.
  • Year 4 builds on this with more detailed exploration of causes, consequences, and connections between societies.
  • Year 5 challenges pupils to analyse trends, evaluate sources critically, and construct detailed narratives that reflect a deep engagement with the past.

This approach is carefully sequenced across cycles and year groups to create a coherent progression. For example, pupils studying Ancient Greece in Cycle B begin by learning about key achievements and societal structures in Year 3, before progressing to an analysis of democracy and cultural exchange in Year 4, and finally evaluating Greece’s long-term influence on Western civilisation in Year 5. This ensures that all pupils develop a secure understanding of increasingly complex historical concepts while making connections across periods and themes.

Finally, we allocate time for revisiting and consolidating learning from previous cycles and year groups, strengthening retention and deepening understanding. This evidence-led, adaptive approach ensures inclusivity and high expectations for all pupils, enabling them to engage meaningfully with the curriculum and achieve mastery, regardless of their starting points. By tailoring the curriculum to align with national guidance and research, we foster a love of history and equip pupils with the knowledge and skills needed to think critically about the past.

You can download our History Skills Progression document from the Files panel below:

 

NameFormat
Files
Grammarsaurus History Skills Progress SJM Mixed Age.pdf .pdf