Learning about and from history should not take place solely within the classroom, but should make use of the world around us and include visits, practical and outdoor learning as well as learning which centres on real artefacts and voices. We believe that in doing all of this we can truly bring history to life for our pupils. Our intention is that our teaching of history will help pupils gain an understanding of chronology and when events happened in relation to one another. We want to inspire curiosity and a love of history in our pupils, within an accessible curriculum that gives pupils opportunities to ask questions, select and evaluate evidence and use this evidence to make judgements about the past. We believe this is vital so children can understand that there is often more than one side to a story and that history can be viewed from different perspectives. Historical enquiry is all about asking questions about the past that we hope the evidence will help us to answer. We believe that skills and knowledge go together and are taught hand in hand. We aim to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of local, British and world history, including knowledge of key events, dates, people and innovations from the different time periods studied.

This is our two-year long-term plan for History, including a brief overview of each unit:

HISTORY OVERVIEW
	EYFS A	EYFS B	Year 1/2A	Year 1/2B	Year 3/4A	Year 3/4B	Year 5/6A	Year 5/6B
AUTUMN	What was life like when my grandparents were little?	Who is important to me? How have things changed since I was a baby?   Guy Fawkes.	Who are the famous people who have made an impact on our world?	What lessons have we learned from the Great Fire of London?	Why did the Anglo Saxons come to Britain and what influence has it had on our lives today?	How did Britain change between the beginning of the Stone age and the end of the Iron age?	How did Britain change between the end of the Roman occupation and 1066? (Vikings)   Local History.	Why should gunpowder, treason and plot never be forgotten?
SPRING	People who help us. Investigate differences in fire engines, police and nurses in the past.	Toys long ago.	How has transport changed over time?	How did the Victorians influence our life today?	Why was Ancient Egypt’s civilization ahead of its time?	What did the Ancient Greeks bring to the World?	When and why did we create the British Empire?	Why was the Islamic civilization known as the golden age?
SUMMER	Castles. Features of castles. What would it be like to live in a castle?	Knights and princesses	What was life like for my grandparents	Why do we have castles?	How have our homes changed over time?	How did Britain change between  the end of the iron age and the end of the Roman occupation?    Local History.	What impact did WW1 and WW2 have on ordinary people in our local area?	What do we understand by the term ‘slavery’?

Nursery

Understanding The World:

 The children begin to make sense of their own life-story and their family’s history.

Reception

Understanding the World:

 The children will comment on images of familiar situations in the past.

They will compare and contrast characters from stories, including figures from the past.

ELG

Understanding the World - Past and Present:

The children will talk about the lives of people around them and their roles in society.

They will know some similarities and differences between things in the past and now, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class.

The children will understand the past through settings, characters and events encountered in books read in class and storytelling.

Who are the famous people who have made an impact on our world?

The children will focus on discrimination and recognises that many people will have dedicated their lives to the fight against various forms of discrimination. They will learn about explorers - Christopher Columbus, Neil Armstrong; individuals who have made significant contributions to the rights of black people - Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, Lewis Howard Latimer, Mary Prince, Mary Seacole; and individuals who have made significant contributions to the rights of women - Emmeline Pankhurst and Malala Yousafzai.

How has transport changed over time?

This unit provides the opportunity for the children to learn about the development of travel and transport throughout history. As well as consolidating the children's understanding of chronology through using timelines and making comparisons between old and new forms of transport, the unit focuses on early travel methods of the Vikings, through to the invention of cars, trains and aeroplanes and also looks at the significant individuals George Stephenson and the Wright brothers.

What was life like for my grandparents?

In the main, this unit focuses on chronology, focusing upon understanding and creating timelines that runs between 1950 and today. The children will also consider how reliable sources of information are. They will compare toys, school life, games, food and holidays from then and now.

What lessons have we learned from the Great Fire of London?

The children will learn about the key events of the Great Fire of London and will continue to develop their understanding of the ways in which we can find out about the past. They will discover what London was like in the 17^th century, comparing life in the 17th century to the present day and considering how some problems, such as the lack of an organised fire brigade and the type of buildings, caused the fire to spread and will focus on how and why some things changed as a result of the fire, in order to be safer. The children will begin to learn how historical sources can tell us about what happened in the past and how some sources are more useful than others.

How did the Victorians influence our life today?

In this unit, the children will explore how we know about what happened during Victorian times, thinking about the information that was available at the time and what was not available, e.g., television and social media. The children will begin to appreciate that any history relies on sources that may not always be secure or reliable. They will consider the different types of issues with information passed down through the ages, e.g., exaggeration, bias, censorship, and propaganda. The children will be introduced to the ‘industrial revolution’ and understand what life was like for many children during the Victorian period – and the differences between being rich and poor.

Why do we have castles? 

The children will learn about what castles are, focusing on who lived in a castle. They will begin to understand the hierarchy developed in medieval times about who lived in the castle and who lived outside. They will also focus on ‘which castles are lived in today?’ The children will learn that many castles today are in ruins, or uninhabitable, but many are lived in - the most famous being Windsor Castle. The children will compare Windsor Castle and our local Carlisle Castle.

Why did the Anglo-Saxons come to Britain and what influence has it had on our lives today?

In this unit, the children will learn about the invasion of the Anglo-Saxons in the 5^th century. They will find out where the invading troops came from and where in Britain they managed to settle. They will then investigate how life in Britain changed as a result, learning how the Anglo-Saxons influenced the English language, with an emphasis on the origins of some place names. The children will have the opportunity to examine and analyse artefacts and draw their own conclusions about what they can teach us about life in Anglo-Saxon Britain. In addition, they will also learn about what life was like in a typical Anglo-Saxon village and will explore the Pagan beliefs, exploring how and why the Anglo-Saxons were largely converted to Christianity by the early 17^th century.

Why was Ancient Egypt’s civilization ahead of its time?

This Ancient Egypt unit will teach the children in depth about the achievements of this ancient civilisation. They will learn about how and where the ancient Egyptians lived, what was important to the daily lives of ancient Egyptians, who Tutankhamun was and how mummies were made. The children will also learn about how Egyptian people used hieroglyphs to communicate and compare the powers of different gods. They will use a timeline to help pupils understand what was happening in Britain when the Ancient Egyptians were at their most powerful. The children will begin to understand as much as possible about the work that archaeologists do, as well as finding out about each of the other three civilisations before looking in depth at one of them.

How have our homes changed over time?

The children will take a closer look at how the way we prepare food and the utensils we use in the kitchen have changed over time. They will consider how technology has changed the way we live, including the use of the telephone, televisions, and the way we heat our homes. The children will also venture outdoors to investigate how the area outside our homes has changed over time. They will be reminded of previous learning about the main concepts and understanding of the ‘industrial revolution’ and the Victorians.

How did Britain change between the beginning of the Stone Age and the end of the Iron Age?

The children will be think about what has helped us to build a picture of what happened during the Stone Age period and will consider the significance of the discovery of iron ore and the invention of the wheel. Through historical investigation, they will identify the key differences between the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages. The children will question why the creation of Iron Age hill forts was so important and will understand what we mean by the term hunter-gatherer.

What did the Ancient Greeks bring to the world?

The focus of this unit is for the children to consider what evidence there is that the Ancient Greeks were more advanced than Ancient Britons, identifying what the Ancient Greeks introduced that we benefit from today. They will learn about everyday life was like for the Ancient Greeks. There will also be a focus upon what the main characteristics of the Spartans and the Athenians were, and how the Ancient Greeks were influenced by their Gods.

How did Britain change between the end of the Iron Age and the end of the Roman occupation? Local History

With there being a great deal of Roman history in our local area, the children will hands-on access to learning about the impact the Romans had upon life in Britain. They will investigate what the Romans found when they first arrived in Britain and will consider and analyse what evidence there is that the Romans came to Britain at all. Through dealing with artefacts and geographical evidence, the children will learn about what the Romans did to improve Britain and then ultimately why they left. A key focus throughout this unit will be the ‘Romanisation’ of Britain.

 How did Britain change between the end of the Roman occupation and 1066? (The Vikings) Local History

Through revisiting previous learning and understanding of chronology, the children will revisit who the Anglo-Saxons were and why they invaded Britain. They will consider what the long-term impact of the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings has been on our lives today, learning who the famous Anglo-Saxon kings were. They will then focus specifically upon who the Vikings were and why they had a reputation of being fierce raiders, before moving forward chronologically to question how important the Norman Conquest was in 1066.

Why and When did we create the British Empire?

This unit focuses upon British history that will extend the children’s chronological knowledge beyond 1066. The children will explore why Britain started to build a British Empire and how important the voyages of discovery were in making Britain great. They will consider why it is important we get to know about India’s relationship with the British Empire, before then questioning and evaluating why we no longer have a British Empire – looking closely at why the creation of the British Empire was not always covered in glory.

What impact did WW1 and WW2 have on ordinary people in our local area?

The children will continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British history in this unit. They will revisit when WW1 started and finished before moving on to why WW2 started, considering what part Hitler played in it. Through the investigation of various historical sources, the children will learn what life was like in the trenches, who Winston Churchill was and the part he played in World War 2. Thinking both locally and nationally, they will learn about how every town and city was affected during and after World War 2. When considering the ‘bigger picture’ of the impact of wars on both places and people, the children will also learn what appeasement was, and will debate whether it was a cowardly approach.

Why should gunpowder, treason and plot never be forgotten?

The children, in this unit, will visit the Tudor period in British history. They will consider what they know about the Gunpowder Plot and the less well-known facts and details about it. They will also learn how Henry VIII changed the way we worship in England, why we had a civil war and who the Roundheads and Cavaliers were. The children will debate whether the Great Fire of London has been one of the best things that happened to London and why Elizabeth I’s reign was known as a time of exploration and discovery.

Why was the Islamic civilization known as the Golden Age?

In this unit the children will be introduced to a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history. The children will learn when the early Islamic civilisation was at its most glorious, and where and what the House of Wisdom was. They will consider and evaluate what part the Golden Age had in improving health care and education. The children will learn how the Golden Age came to an end and what Prophet Muhammad’s association was with the Golden Age.

What do we understand by the term ‘slavery’?

The children will learn what the slave trade was and what Britain’s part in it was. They will learn where slaves came from and went to and what life was like on board the transportation ships. They will discover what the slave auctions were like and what it felt feel like to be a slave. They will then learn how the slave trade ended and the impact of this.

This is an example of how progress in knowledge is developed throughout the children's time in our primary school - 'Local History':

HISTORY NATIONAL CURRICULUM	YEAR 1	YEAR 2	YEAR 3	YEAR 4	YEAR 5	YEAR 6
LOCAL HISTORY	Know the name of a famous person, or a famous place, close to where they live – Hadrian’s Wall; Beatrix Potter.	Know how the local area is different to the way it used to be a long time ago.   Differentiate between things that were here 100 years ago and things that were not (including buildings, tools, toys, etc.   Know about a famous person from Cumbria and can explain why they were famous. Know some of differences between Victorian and modern Carlisle.	Know about the history of exploration and can talk about a number of explorers from different historical periods: Ibn Battuta, Matthew Henson, John Richard Archer.   Know about a local period of history: Roman Emperor – Hadrian/ the Romans in Maryport.   Describe Hadrian’s reasons for building a wall, know the dates this was done.	Know about the history of settlement of Carlisle/Maryport.   Can discuss evidence for these time periods in the local area.	Make connections, contrast and describe trends in the history of trade in Bristol. Construct a timeline of trade in Carlisle.   Discuss the chronology of trade in Carlisle.   Find evidence for trade in Carlisle from a range of sources: maps, artefacts, buildings, paintings.	Talk about a local person who has made a significant contribution to life in the area.

Expectations for the children's progression in History can be accessed by clicking the link below:

https://crosscanonby-primary-school.schudio.com/files/documents/History.docx

The children in years 3 and 4 learning about life in the Stone-Age so a visit to Castlerigg Stone Circle was unmissable! Castlerigg is perhaps the most atmospheric and dramatically sited of all British stone circles, with panoramic views and the mountains of Helvellyn and High Seat as a backdrop. Thought to have been constructed about 3000 BC, it is potentially one of the earliest in the country.