History

Our Vision

In our teaching of History, we stimulate all children's interests and understanding about the life of people who lived in the past. Through teaching children a sense of chronology, we can develop a sense of identity and a cultural understanding based on their historical heritage which enables our children to learn to value their own and other people's cultures in momentous events in Southborough and Britain, whilst appreciating how they have our shaped our country. Additionally, our children will learn about aspects of British and Ancient history which will lead to them having knowledge of historical development in the wider world and the impact of this on our own lives. 

At Southborough C of E Primary History is taught through a cross-curricular thematic approach and we link history to as many subjects as well as ensuring no tenuous link is made. We make links to English by actively promoting the skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening, maths by using numbers when developing a sense of chronology through timelines and PSHE through opportunities to share their views, exploring social questions and developing tolerance and respect for others.

This term in History

EYFS

In the On the Beach project, your child will visit a beach and learn about animals that live in rock pools and on the seashore. They will explore days out at the beach and compare their experiences with beach holidays in the past. They will learn about the animals that live in the sea and find out about worldwide seas and oceans. They will explore the importance of looking after the environment to keep living things safe. They will learn about staying safe at the beach and find out about people who help us.

Year 1

In the School Days project, your child will have the opportunity to take part in a traditional Victorian class and will learn about the differences between schooling in the Victorian era and schooling today. They will learn about objects found in a Victorian classroom and how they were used. They will research Samuel Wilderspin, an important figure in the development of schooling for young children in the Victorian era, whose ideals are reflected in schooling today. They will learn to describe the passage of time through study of past, present and future tense vocabulary.

Year 2

In the Magnificent Monarchs project, your child will learn about English and British monarchs from AD 871 to the present day and consider how the power of the monarchy has changed over time. They will study six significant sovereigns; Alfred the Great, William the Conqueror, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria and the current monarch, Elizabeth II. Finally, they will choose which of the sovereigns that they have studied is the most significant.

Year 3

In the Magnificent Monarchs project, your child will further their understanding about English and British monarchs from AD 871 to the present day and consider how the power of the monarchy has changed over time. They will deepen their understanding of six significant sovereigns; Alfred the Great, William the Conqueror, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria and the current monarch, Elizabeth II. Finally, they will reconsider which of the sovereigns that they have studied is the most significant.

Year 4

This half term, your child will be focussing on the geography unit of Misty Mountain, Winding River. Please see the Geography page for further information.

Year 5

In the Groundbreaking Greeks project, your child will learn about different periods of Greek history, exploring the earliest civilisations, the devastation of the Dark Age and the breakthroughs and developments of the Archaic and Classical periods. They will understand how the geography of Greece affected the development of city states and explore Athens, learning about the structure of the government and society. They will get to know some of the most significant Athenians and understand why Greek art, culture, architecture, philosophy, medicine and mathematics were so significant. Your child will learn about the leadership of Alexander the Great and discover how ancient Greece became part of the Roman Empire after the Hellenistic period. They will explore how the Romans respected and developed Greek ideas, making them their own and spreading them throughout the Roman Empire. To end the project, your child will decide which was the ancient Greeks' greatest idea, and explore how the legacy of ancient Greece affects their lives today.

Year 6

In the Maafa project, your child will learn about Africa today and the ancient kingdoms that thrived on the continent for thousands of years. They will learn about the origins of the transatlantic slave trade in the 15th century and Britain’s involvement from the time of Elizabeth I, when John Hawkins became the first British slave trader. Your child will understand the structure of the transatlantic slave trade and the consequences of enslavement for enslaved people. They will also discover how the people of Britain benefited from the money and goods produced by the slave trade. They will learn about the causes and consequences of the abolition of slavery in the 19th century, the worldwide African diaspora and the European colonisation in Africa. They will explore the lives and actions of black people in 20th century Britain. They will understand how the Race Relations Act of 1965 became the first piece of British legislation to tackle racial discrimination and know that the Equality Act 2010 provides people with protection against racism and other forms of discrimination, today. Your child will also explore the lives of black people who have made significant contributions to Britain and will celebrate black culture in Britain today.