History Statement of Intent

At Sheringdale, our History curriculum is designed to be academically rigorous, knowledge-rich and enquiry-driven under teacher guidance. We aim for every child to develop a secure and coherent understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world, while also mastering the disciplinary skills of a historian – questioning, interpreting, reasoning and evaluating evidence.

From the earliest foundations in EYFS, children begin to explore the concept of time and change. As they move through school, they study carefully sequenced units which follow a broadly chronological framework from Year 3 to Year 6, ensuring that pupils build strong connections across periods and deepen their understanding of cause, consequence, continuity and change. Where the National Curriculum allows, we broaden horizons further with thematic units, such as medicine through time or exploration, which enable pupils to make comparisons across vast historical spans and to appreciate how ideas and innovations shape societies over time.

Our curriculum is deliberately enquiry-led: pupils are not passive recipients of knowledge but are guided to investigate sources, scrutinise evidence and construct their own interpretations of the past. We provide repeated opportunities for pupils to debate, reason and challenge accepted narratives, equipping them with the critical literacy and independence needed both for secondary education and as thoughtful citizens.

We recognise that history is best understood when it is connected and experienced in meaningful contexts. While our history lessons focus on rigorous enquiry and the use of sources, we also draw on cross-curricular opportunities to deepen understanding. For example, in English lessons, pupils may study stories or texts set in the period they are exploring in history, while in art they may create work inspired by the styles, artefacts or culture of that time. Carefully chosen trips and workshops further immerse pupils in the lived experiences of people in the past. Local, national and global contexts are interwoven, so children understand the interplay between their community and wider historical events.

Ultimately, our intent is for every child at Sheringdale to:

• Know more and remember more about the key people, places, events and ideas that have shaped our world.
• Think like historians, applying critical enquiry skills with increasing independence.
• Understand the relevance of history, recognising its impact on their lives today and how it informs the future.

Through this approach, we nurture historically literate, curious and confident learners who see history not simply as a study of the past, but as a discipline that empowers them to question, reflect and act in the present.