History at Fordbridge

At Fordbridge, our vision for History is that our children learn about the past through creative, engaging and child-led enquiry lessons.

Through investigation and enquiry, children will develop a deeper appreciation and understanding of how history has shaped our lives today locally, nationally and globally. As the children gain and recall key knowledge and skills about historical periods and concepts, they will also be encouraged to think independently and critically, asking historically valid questions and making links between themes within and across time periods, for example trade, beliefs, power, daily life and rules.

During our lessons and as part of our hub activities, children will discuss and debate, fostering a culture of enquiry, analysing evidence and drawing conclusions to help them to make sense of the past, learn from it and make connections to life today.

Our programme of study has been expertly designed and planned alongside the Historical Association. Throughout their learning journey in History, children will gain a chronological understanding of British history from the Stone Age to present day, drawing comparisons and making links between key time periods and their own lives. Interlinked with this study of British history, children will explore world history including Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, the Vikings and the Mayans. This will support the children developing an understanding of trends over time and across civilisations.

Each history topic begins with a hook, a ‘wow’ moment to support the children in understanding why they are learning about a particular period. Knowledge organisers showcase timelines, key events and vocabulary, significant individuals and period-specific information in an engaging and child-friendly way. Throughout each topic, children will explore a range of artefacts, texts and resources to bring the past to life and support them in using evidence to justify their conclusions. At Fordbridge, we believe that real-life, hands-on experiences including visitors, workshops, live-streamed events and trips to high-quality venues including museums, as these are invaluable for creating life-long learning, memories and fostering empathy.