History at Wicor
At Wicor, we fully support the purpose and aims of History as set out in the National Curriculum. We believe its ambition allows us to teach children to think like historians, develop a genuine passion for the subject, and inspire the curiosity that motivates them to explore the past independently.
Our History curriculum also reflects our wider school ethos by encouraging children to develop enquiring minds, broaden their understanding of the world, and build their cultural capital.
The National Curriculum
Purpose of Study
A high-quality history education helps pupils gain a coherent understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. It should inspire curiosity and a desire to know more about the past. Teaching equips pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, evaluate arguments, and develop perspective and judgement.
History enables pupils to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the processes of change, the diversity of societies, and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.
Aims
The National Curriculum for History aims to ensure that all pupils:
Know and understand the history of the British Isles as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day, including how people’s lives have shaped the nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world
Know and understand significant aspects of the wider world, including ancient civilisations, the expansion and decline of empires, characteristics of non-European societies, and the achievements and mistakes of humankind
Gain and use a secure understanding of key historical terms such as empire, civilisation, parliament and peasantry
Understand key historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity and difference, and significance, using these to make connections, analyse trends, and construct informed accounts
Understand historical enquiry, including how evidence is used to make claims and how and why different interpretations of the past exist
Develop historical perspective by placing knowledge into local, regional, national and international contexts, and by understanding connections across cultural, economic, political, religious and social history, as well as short- and long-term timescales
How is History organised in our school?
We take advantage of the flexibility within the National Curriculum, which does not prescribe specific content for each year group. This allows us to design a curriculum in which children revisit key themes and concepts over time. As a result, pupils deepen their knowledge, strengthen their understanding, and become increasingly skilled in historical enquiry.
History is taught through modules of varying lengths. Each module is a carefully planned programme of learning centred around a theme, often explored through multiple subjects. We use this approach because History both enriches and is enriched by connections with other areas of the curriculum.
Each module is driven by one or more enquiry questions, giving the learning a clear purpose and direction. Further detail about content and coverage can be found on the individual year group pages.
How will your child learn History at our school?
Children learn History through a range of engaging and meaningful experiences. A key element of our approach is providing, wherever possible, direct, hands-on learning opportunities.
These include:
Handling artefacts
Visiting historical sites and museums
Learning from visiting experts
Such experiences support and deepen children’s understanding, in the same way that fieldwork enhances geographical learning.
Pupils also work with a range of primary and secondary sources, helping them to interpret evidence, evaluate differing viewpoints, and answer the enquiry questions that guide each module.