'A generation which ignores history has no past and no future.'

Robert Heinlein

Our vision for History:

At Bedford  Primary we are committed to providing our pupils with a high quality history curriculum that helps children to gain a knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. We believe that by truly understanding the past, our children will understand their own identity and challenges of their time. In every history lesson we teach, we endeavour to develop key historical skills in our learners and encourage them to constantly make connections with the past.

Skills needed to be a Bedford historian: 

• A curiosity to know more about the past
• Ask perceptive, historically valid questions
• Think critically, weighing evidence and sifting arguments to a develop their own perspective and judgement
• Have a strong understanding of chronology
• Have a strong understanding of methods of historical enquiry
• Make connections across historical periods and explain how the past frames the present
• Be a good communicator, who can work alongside others to tackle some of history’s big questions

Our history curriculum:

Our history curriculum is separated into three main skills focuses: 

Chronological Understanding: in which pupils are taught to develop a chronological understanding of history and apply this throughout the wider curriculum. Children learn to use timelines and understand the importance of duration, as well as use a range of historical language to describe the past. 

Interpretation knowledge and understanding of past events, people and changes in the past :  in which children are taught to explore and identify different ways the past are represented. They also learn to identify similarities and differenced between and across time periods. As  pupils get older they are encouraged to explore the reasons why some different versions of the past exist. 

Historical Enquiry: in which pupils are taught to ask historically valid questions and constantly strive to find our about the past. Children learn how to identify historical sources and to understand why some historical sources are more reliable than others.

Substantive Concepts in History: 

Pupils undertake two history units of study per year. Our unique History curriculum has been carefully designed to ensure that four substantive concepts are taught and revisited every year.  This allows pupils to make links across the curriculum making connections to previous learning and building foundations for future units of study. These substantive concepts are: 

Trade - pupils will learn that trade has always been an important aspect of a thriving civilisation.  They learn how ancient civilisations traded in precious raw materials and developed their empires as a result.  Children also learn how Liverpool, as a major trading port, has been vital in the growth and success of Britain over the centuries. 

Invasion and Settlement - pupils will learn that throughout history areas of the globe have been invaded by other humans, often for access to raw materials and that settlements have grown as a result. 

Raw Materials, Tools and Technology - pupils will learn that raw materials e.g metals, salt and crops are vital to the success of settlements and the ways in which humans have learned to develop tools to access raw materials is fundamental to the success of civilisations.  

Social Hierarchy and Religion - pupils will learn that throughout history people have performed different roles and had different advantages depending on their position in society.  They learn that in ancient civilisations religion was an important factor in determining a person's social standing.  They also learn about the importance of religion, particularly the arrival of Christianity, in the development of Great Britain as we know it today. 

Each unit of study is carefully planned to ensure these concepts are included and prior knowledge and key vocabulary are considered