History at Holmesdale
“To define the future, one must study the past.”
Confucius
At Holmesdale, we deliver an exceptional history education across the school as we prepare the children to be thinkers, creators and future makers. Our children explore the history of their local environment, community, and the wider world, learning about significant historical events and figures. This historical journey begins in Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) where children discuss their personal histories, and continues throughout Key Stage 1, fostering a love for the subject. We have identified 3 big ideas which run through our curriculum which are artefacts/evidence, change/continuity and cause/consequences. These ideas thread through all the year groups, connecting our learning together. Through our engaging curriculum, our school employs effective teaching methods to equip children with historical skills and knowledge. This allows them to ask questions, think critically, evaluate evidence and develop their skills to start their journey to becoming inquisitive and enquiring historians.
Children at Holmesdale will learn through a History curriculum that will:
- Develop their interest in the past and ignite their curiosity to learn more about historical people and events.
- Use and apply early enquiry skills and will encourage the asking of questions and the developing of critical thinking skills.
- Encourage children to carry out research using a range of primary and secondary sources.
- Ensure the accurate use and understanding of historical terms and vocabulary.
- Enable them to make links between the past and the present.
As with all areas of our curriculum, we have drawn on research evidence to shape our teaching and learning pedagogy. For more information, please see our Greensand Pace Model.
What the children have said about history….
"I’ve got grandparents, they are old!’ Reception
‘I’m big and my brother is little, he is a baby!’ He can’t talk yet." Nursery
‘I like doing learning about the past!’ Year 2
‘When it’s my birthday I am going to be 5 and have a Spiderman cake!’ Reception
‘I remember the transport workshop and who invented all the different types of transport. It was so fun!’ Year 2
"Victorian Day was so fun! Mrs Hack was really strict! She was funny. School is better now than it was then!’
Year 1
‘History is things in the past that have already happened.’ Year 1
‘We have learnt so much about the Great Fire of London and Samuel Pepys! Without him we wouldn’t know so much about the fire!’ Year 2
‘I loved learning about castles. It’s so interesting!’ Year 1
