'A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots'
Marcus Garvey

Our History Intent

At Riverbridge Primary School, we believe that everyone is a historian, and should have the opportunity to be part of history, if they wish. We want all of our children to enjoy finding out about how their lives have been influenced by those who have lived in the past. Developing a secure sense of chronology and awareness of local, national and global historical events, and how they are represented is key to how children develop their historical understanding.

From Reception children are taught to investigate events within their own lives; their own personal history. From this, children begin to develop their understanding of living history, and then about History that has been written down or passed on through word of mouth. They are encouraged to talk to family members and friends about their experiences to help build a mental model of the world around them.

Every History lesson from Key Stage 1 has a question. Through the use of sources and artefacts, children are taught to build their own picture of the past, asking their own questions as they go. The use of an enquiry curriculum means that children are the historians and are able to challenge each other.

In Key Stage 2, children are then taught to analyse the artefacts and sources they are studying, asking the question: does this fit a narrative? Children investigate sources that tell two sides to each story, thinking about how historical stories are built, and the reliability of a source. This enables the children to build their own ideas and viewpoints about current affairs, based on evidence they gather. 

Linked to the 8 Great Ways