History
Shaping Historians, Inspiring Curiosity
History at St George’s invites pupils into a shared exploration of human experience. It is a discipline that helps children understand how people have lived, led and learned across time and place. Through the study of past societies, events and individuals, pupils begin to see how choices shape communities and how legacies influence the present. Our curriculum is rooted in the Christian vision that every child may live life to the full. It encourages reflection on identity, justice and truth, and supports children in developing a thoughtful understanding of the world and their place within it.
Knowledge through enquiry and interpretation
Pupils develop both substantive and disciplinary knowledge. They learn about civilisations, empires and turning points, while also practising the skills of historical enquiry. These include evaluating sources, recognising bias, interpreting evidence and asking meaningful questions. History is presented not as a fixed record but as a conversation shaped by perspective and argument. Pupils explore concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity and difference and significance. These ideas are revisited across Key Stage One and Key Stage Two, allowing children to deepen their understanding over time.
Units are sequenced to build knowledge cumulatively. Pupils make connections between time periods, themes and civilisations, developing secure chronological awareness and placing events in context. The curriculum offers a broad and inclusive view of history, ensuring that children encounter a wide range of experiences, figures and narratives. Diversity is woven into the curriculum, helping pupils appreciate the richness of human stories and the dignity of every voice.
Thinking critically and communicating clearly
Lessons are designed to support both analytical thinking and emotional engagement. Pupils learn to interpret primary and secondary sources, make inferences and consider reliability. Teachers model historical thinking and guide children in how to construct arguments and present interpretations. Oracy is central to our approach. Pupils are encouraged to debate, justify opinions and speak with clarity and confidence.
We maintain high expectations for all learners. Tasks are scaffolded to support children with additional needs, including visual timelines, structured sentence stems and simplified source materials. Those working at greater depth are challenged through extended writing, comparative analysis and the study of competing interpretations. Vocabulary is taught systematically, enabling pupils to express their understanding with precision and insight.
History as reflection and responsibility
The study of history helps children reflect on the moral dimensions of human action. As they encounter stories of injustice, leadership, resistance and reform, pupils are invited to consider how the past informs present choices. Spiritual reflection is embedded throughout the curriculum. Calling questions prompt children to think about truth, reconciliation and remembrance. Pupils learn that history is not only about what happened, but also about why it matters and how it shapes the communities we build.
By the time they leave St George’s, pupils are able to think critically about the past and its impact on the present. They understand how evidence is used to construct knowledge and how interpretation influences understanding. More importantly, they recognise that history is a living dialogue that calls us to remember with compassion and act with wisdom.