History Curriculum Aims 

At Anker Valley Primary Academy, the focus of our history curriculum is to ensure that pupils revisit key themes and concepts (such as chronology, changes over time and similarities and differences) to broaden and deepen children’s historical knowledge, skills and understanding.

It is important that our children:

• develop their interest and awareness of the past, building their historical vocabulary 
• develop a sense of chronology within in which children can organise their understanding of the past 
• recall key facts about past events, places and people  
• identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods of time 
• know about the lives of significant individuals who lived in the past 
• develop curiosity and respect for different cultures and societies with the past 
• learn about the history of their local area 
• develop an understanding of British and international history and the impact on our lives today 
• explore and use a range of historical sources to find out about the past 
• ask and answer questions, conduct their own research and work collaboratively 

Through our History curriculum, teachers will:

• plan to enable all learners to make connections between prior knowledge and new learning, developing their understanding of the past and chronology 
• ensure children’s questions about the past are valued and explored  
• demonstrate and model how to examine historical sources (primary and secondary) to find information and ensure opportunities for children to explore a range of sources (photographs, portraits, artefacts, paintings, books, video) 
• teach children how to think like a historian by examining sources closely i.e. asking questions such as: Who made this source? When did they make it? What does it tell us? Do other sources confirm what this resource tells us? What questions does it leave unanswered? 
• encourage children to communicate their ideas and understanding orally, through role play and in writing 
• enrich the curriculum by planning visits to historical buildings, inviting visiting speakers to school (or virtually), using books, video clips, old documents, photographs and artefacts to deepen and enhance children’s historical knowledge, skills and understanding and develop their cultural capital.

Year 1 identifying similarities and differences between modern day toys and toys from the past at Sudbury Hall

Year 1 finding out about the life and achievements of Florence Nightingale.

Year 2 Discovering what daily life would have been like in a Castle at Tamworth Castle.

Mrs Natalie Horlor is the Curriculum Lead at Anker Valley.