• In Year R, children are encouraged to explore and understand their immediate environment. They are taught to describe their surroundings using knowledge gained from observation, discussion, stories, non-fiction texts, and maps.

• Through these experiences, children develop an understanding of their local community and the world around them. They learn about the similarities and differences between life in their country and other countries, drawing on knowledge from stories, non-fiction texts, and maps.

• Children also learn about the natural world and the changes that occur throughout the year, including the seasons. They are taught to identify and describe some of the similarities and differences between the natural world around them and contrasting environments, drawing on their experiences and what they have learned in class.

• Through this learning, children develop an appreciation of the natural world and its importance. They also develop their language and communication skills, as well as their understanding of geography and science.

Throughout Year 1, children will develop an understanding of the past by learning about significant people, important historical events and changes within living memory and beyond. They will begin by learning about Helen Keller, exploring how she learnt to communicate and how people such as Alexander Graham Bell and Louis Braille contributed to her life and achievements. Children will consider how Helen Keller campaigned for others' rights and the lasting impact she had on the world. They will then study the Great Fire of London, learning what London was like in the 1600s, sequencing the key events on a timeline and using historical sources, including Samuel Pepys’ diary, to find out why the fire spread and how it changed the city. Later in the year, children will investigate schools in the past, beginning with the history of their own school before comparing modern schooling with education in Victorian times. They will examine artefacts, learn about Samuel Wilderspin and explore what classroom life was like for Victorian children. Across the year, children will develop important historical skills, including sequencing events, using sources and artefacts, comparing the past and present, and considering how people and events have influenced life today.

In Year 2, children will build on the historical knowledge and enquiry skills developed in Year 1, using a wider range of sources to investigate significant people, events and societies from the past. In Flight through Time, children develop their understanding of how individuals can influence change, building on their Year 1 studies of Helen Keller, Alexander Graham Bell and Louis Braille. They will learn about important developments in aviation, from the Wright brothers’ first flight to Frank Whittle’s jet engine, and explore how pioneering aviators such as Bessie Coleman and Amy Johnson overcame barriers and changed opportunities for others. In Titanic Tragedy, children build on the chronological and source-handling skills developed through The Great Fire of London, using historical accounts and evidence to investigate the events surrounding the Titanic’s construction, voyage and sinking, as well as the lessons learnt afterwards. Later in the year, Age of the Aztecs broadens children’s understanding of history beyond Britain as they explore the Aztec civilisation, including the city of Tenochtitlán, everyday life, religious beliefs and the impact of the arrival of Cortés. Across the year, children will become increasingly confident in sequencing events, using and comparing historical sources, identifying causes and consequences, and explaining how people and events have shaped the world.

In Year 3, children begin the autumn term by studying the chronology of British history in the project Through the Ages. This project teaches children about the significance of prehistoric periods and the changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age. In the summer term, children continue to develop their knowledge of the chronology of British history in the project Emperors and Empires. This project teaches children about the Roman Empire, its invasion of Britain and Britain’s ensuing Romanisation.

In the autumn term of Year 4, children resume their learning about British history in the project Invasion. This project teaches children about the Roman withdrawal and the invasion and settlement of the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings. This project concludes at 1066, which meets the guidance from the national curriculum for British history. In the summer term of Year 4, children begin their studies of ancient history by studying the overview project Ancient Civilisations. This project enables children to learn about the achievements of the earliest civilisations, including ancient Sumer, the Indus Valley civilisation and ancient Egypt.

In the autumn term of Year 5, children continue to build their knowledge of ancient civilisations with an in-depth analysis of ancient China in the project Dynamic Dynasties. This project enables children to study the significance and influence of ancient China and its prowess and advancements in the written word, technology and metalwork. In the summer term, children further study ancient and world history in the project Groundbreaking Greeks. This project enables children to explore life in ancient Greece, including examining the achievements and influence of ancient Greece on the western world.

In the autumn term of Year 6, children study the more complex historical issues of enslavement, colonialism and power in the project Maafa. In this project, children explore a range of African kingdoms, including the Kingdom of Benin, and study Britain’s role in the development, perpetuation and abolition of the slave trade. In the summer term of Year 6, children complete their historical studies with the project Britain at War. This project enables children to study the role war has played in Britain’s history since 1066, focusing on the First and Second World Wars as crucial turning points in British history.