History
At Bassingbourn, we want pupils to be fascinated by the past and to understand how it has shaped the world they live in today. Through history, pupils learn about people, events and civilisations, and learn to ask questions, weigh up evidence and reach their own conclusions.
How we teach history
We teach history using the Kapow Primary scheme of work, which is fully aligned with the National Curriculum. History units alternate with geography across the year, and each unit is built around an enquiry question, such as "How did we learn to fly?". Our classes are mixed-age, so units follow a two-year rolling programme.
In Reception, history is part of Understanding the World, as children talk about their own past, their families and people and events from long ago.
What pupils learn
In Key Stage 1, pupils learn about changes within living memory and significant people and events, such as the first flight. In Key Stage 2, they study British history from the Stone Age to the Vikings, using timelines to place each period in sequence, alongside ancient civilisations such as Egypt, the Maya and Greece, and later periods such as the Tudors and World War 2.
Throughout, pupils develop the skills of a historian:
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Placing events on a timeline
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Exploring change, cause and consequence
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Comparing life in different times and places
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Using sources of evidence to answer questions
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Understanding that the past can be interpreted in different ways
History for every pupil
In history, stories, artefacts and timelines help every pupil take part and succeed. Key vocabulary is taught explicitly, and knowledge organisers support pupils as they learn. Lessons are adapted for pupils with SEND, for example using visual timelines, images and sorting activities. For those ready for more challenge, teachers encourage them to compare sources, explain different interpretations and build reasoned arguments.
Beyond the classroom
Visitors from History Off the Page bring the past to life through workshops where pupils experience a day in the life of people from times such as the Romans and the Victorians. Pupils also visit local historical sites, including West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village, a reconstructed settlement where they can see how people lived.
