History at Pendle:

Subject Leader: Emily Lancaster

At Pendle Primary School, our History curriculum helps children learn about the past in our local area, our country, and the wider world. They discover how people lived, how societies were different, and how groups of people were connected. By studying different periods in history, pupils develop important skills such as understanding timelines, recognising changes, causes and effects, and similarities and differences. Through exploring and interpreting evidence, we aim to inspire children to be curious about the past and to think like historians.

Intent

At Pendle, our aim is to nurture and build on the natural curiosity that children have about the world around them. We offer a carefully designed, high-quality history curriculum that gives pupils secure and coherent knowledge of British, local, and world history. Our curriculum reflects our community, helping children understand the history of their locality and the changes it has experienced over time. Through an enquiry-based approach, children are encouraged to ask meaningful questions, investigate answers, and share their findings using skills from across the curriculum. Alongside developing historical knowledge, pupils also learn the key skills needed to think and act as historians. They explore a wide range of cultures and perspectives, fostering respect, tolerance, and empathy. By the time they leave Pendle, children will know about significant people, events, and periods in history and will be able to connect these to form clear, well-informed historical narratives.

Implementation

We use the Kapow History scheme to deliver our lessons, providing a clear, structured, and progressive approach. Knowledge organisers support learning by clearly sequencing key knowledge and vocabulary, helping pupils build understanding step by step as they move through the school.

In EYFS, children learn the knowledge and skills for ‘Past and Present’ through a thematic approach set out in our EYFS Curriculum for Understanding the World (see EYFS Curriculum). These themes are closely linked to the Key Stage 1 Scheme of Work, ensuring clear progression as pupils move from EYFS into Key Stage 1.

The History curriculum at Pendle is delivered through a whole-school long-term plan. A rolling programme ensures that all pupils cover the key knowledge from our History topics during each Key Stage, taking account of our mixed-age classes. The topics are carefully planned to develop a progression of skills and knowledge about local and global events while meeting the requirements of the National Curriculum. By linking History to other subjects, children have opportunities to explore and interpret the past, understand chronology, and carry out their own research, for example using iPads to investigate historical questions.

Our topics are enriched by visits and visitors, such as Adrian Worrell, who has delivered excellent workshops in school. We are also fortunate to have access to valuable local primary sources to support teaching and learning, including Clitheroe Castle.