History is taught through an accessible, thematic and sensory-rich curriculum that supports pupils in developing a secure understanding of the past, their place in it, and how history connects to the world around them.

We carefully build historical skills and knowledge over time, with adaptations to suit a range of learning needs, styles, and communication profiles.

Teaching begins with a concrete understanding of time, using daily routines, timelines, and personal history to help pupils grasp the concepts of past, present, and future. We use visual supports, story-based learning, hands-on artefacts, and experiential activities to make history meaningful and memorable.

Through engaging and relevant topics, pupils develop the ability to:

• Sequence events and recognise the chronological order of key historical periods or changes.
• Ask and answer simple questions about the past, using images, objects, videos, and adapted texts as historical sources.
• Recognise similarities and differences between the past and their own lives.
• Identify cause and effect through simplified historical narratives (e.g. why events happened and what changed as a result).
•  Explore historical vocabulary using consistent, repeated language supported by symbols, visuals, and modelling.
• Make simple comparisons between time periods, people, events or artefacts, and begin to draw conclusions with support.
• Communicate historical understanding through a range of expressive means: speech, writing, signing, drawing, drama, and digital tools.

Our progression is designed to move pupils from concrete understanding (e.g. recognising old and new) towards more abstract concepts such as cause and consequence, significance, and interpretation — at a pace suited to individual learners.

History is taught with regular opportunities for recall and overlearning, ensuring pupils can build cumulative knowledge that is revisited and applied across new contexts.

We make effective use of local history, national events, and inclusive representations of people from the past to develop both understanding and a sense of identity and belonging.

Ultimately, our implementation of History ensures that every pupil has access to rich learning experiences that allow them to:

• Develop curiosity about the past
• Learn how people’s lives have shaped our world
• Begin to understand how historical events influence the present