Intent 

At Haddenham St. Mary’s, we aim to spark a lifelong interest in the past by making history meaningful, accessible, and exciting for young children. Through rich storytelling, exploration of significant events and people, and connections to children’s own lives, we want our pupils to:

• Develop an understanding of the past and how it differs from the present.
• Begin to sequence events and understand simple chronology.
• Recognise important historical figures and events, both locally and globally.
• Ask questions, think critically, and start to use historical vocabulary.
• Appreciate how people’s lives have shaped the world they live in today.

Implementation

Our history curriculum is taught through a creative, thematic approach, often integrated with geography, literacy, and the arts to bring learning to life. By using stories, artefacts, visits, and drama, we ensure that history is engaging and accessible for all learners.

Key features of our implementation include:

• Local History Focus: Children learn about the history of Haddenham and its unique traditions, buildings, and changes over time, grounding their learning in familiar contexts.
• Chronological Understanding: Pupils explore timelines and sequence events, learning to identify the past, present, and future.
• Famous People and Events: Children are introduced to key historical figures such as famous explorers and the sinking of the titanic, helping them make connections across time and place.
• Enquiry-Based Learning: Lessons encourage pupils to investigate and ask questions such as “What was it like to live in the past?” or “How has life changed?”
• Use of Sources: Pupils explore simple historical sources, such as photos, artefacts, and stories, to make observations and draw conclusions.
• Cross-Curricular Links: History is often linked to English (e.g., diary writing, recounts), art (e.g., recreating historical scenes), and computing (e.g., researching using digital tools).

Impact

Through our history curriculum, children at Haddenham St. Mary’s:

• Gain a sense of identity and understanding of where they come from.
• Build foundational knowledge of significant people, places, and events.
• Develop historical enquiry skills, including questioning, observing, and comparing.
• Begin to understand concepts such as change, cause and effect, and significance.
• Grow in confidence to talk about the past using appropriate vocabulary.

Ongoing assessment through discussions, role play, recorded work, and observations shows that pupils are developing curiosity about the past and are achieving age-related expectations. They are well-prepared for the next stage of their historical learning journey.