Intent

At Higham, our ambition for History is to provide every child with a rich and meaningful understanding of the past so that they are inspired to shape their future. From Early Years to Year 6, History is carefully planned to ensure full coverage of the Early Years Foundation Stage and the National Curriculum. Learning is made memorable so that children build on prior knowledge and develop historical understanding progressively over time.

Our curriculum is designed to ensure that key knowledge, skills and concepts are revisited and deepened as pupils move through the school, enabling them to embed learning into their long-term memory. We want children to confidently apply their historical skills to any period of history being studied, supported by clear assessment and effective use of resources.

To help children make meaningful connections across different historical periods, our curriculum is structured around five main substantive concepts:

• Power – Monarchy, Empire, Democracy, Law
• Society – Community, Civilisation, Industry, Religion, Trade, Culture
• Settlement – Settlements, Migration, Environment
• Conflict – Invasion, Conquering, War, Rebellion
• Legacy – Invention, Discoveries, Explorers, Historical Figures

Revisiting these concepts across year groups helps pupils recognise patterns, compare time periods and understand how people, events and ideas have shaped the world.

Alongside this substantive knowledge, children are taught disciplinary concepts – the skills of working like a historian. These include chronology, using evidence and sources, cause and consequence, change and continuity, significance and similarities and differences. Pupils are encouraged to ask thoughtful questions, evaluate evidence and draw informed conclusions.

Ultimately, we aim for children to develop curiosity, confidence and a passion for history through stimulating and challenging lessons delivered by knowledgeable teachers. Our curriculum ensures clear progression, strong subject understanding and transferable skills that support learning across the wider curriculum and beyond.

Implementation

To ensure our intent is brought to life in the classroom, History at Higham is taught through a carefully sequenced and flexible approach. Each lesson builds on prior learning, with opportunities for pupils to revisit, revise and deepen their historical knowledge and understanding. This structure supports children in making connections across periods and embedding key concepts and vocabulary into their long-term memory.

Teachers adapt planning to meet the needs, understanding and skills of their pupils, enabling all children to access and engage with the curriculum. Revisiting and consolidating previous learning is central to our approach, allowing children to strengthen existing knowledge while being introduced to new historical content, skills and challenges. Substantive concepts are taught explicitly through carefully chosen vocabulary and through the context of the historical study itself.

Vocabulary plays a vital role in developing historical understanding. Key terms linked to both substantive and disciplinary concepts are introduced, revisited and displayed within classrooms. This enables pupils to use subject-specific language with confidence and accuracy when discussing the past.

High-quality planning and up-to-date resources support teachers with secure subject knowledge and ensure lessons are engaging, accurate and progressive. Enrichment opportunities, such as visits, artefact handling and themed days, further enhance learning and help children develop a love of history and an appreciation of how the past has shaped the world they live in.

Impact

Our clear and progressive History curriculum enables children to develop secure historical knowledge and a growing range of disciplinary skills throughout their time at Higham. As pupils move through the school, they build a deep understanding of the past, make connections across time periods and confidently use key historical vocabulary and concepts.

History has a strong profile across the school. Classrooms provide a supportive learning environment where historical vocabulary is displayed, referred to and used confidently by pupils in discussions and written work. High-quality resources and engaging displays further enhance learning and promote curiosity about the past. As a result, history is valued and enjoyed by both pupils and staff, inspiring children to continue developing their knowledge and understanding into the future.

The impact of our curriculum is measured through a range of strategies. Teachers use key questioning within lessons and ongoing formative assessment to check understanding and address misconceptions. Summative assessments are also used to identify progress and inform next steps in learning. Pupil voice, work scrutiny and discussions with teachers provide additional evidence of secure knowledge, progression of skills and a developing passion for the subject.