History at St Mary’s Hampton
At St Mary’s Hampton, we believe that history is a vital part of a rich and balanced curriculum. Through high-quality history education, pupils develop a curiosity about the past and a growing understanding of how people’s lives have shaped the world we live in today. History helps children to understand change and continuity, cause and consequence, similarity and difference, and the significance of events, people, and periods.
Our history curriculum is carefully designed to align with the National Curriculum and supports pupils’ historical development from the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) through Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. We take a progressive approach so that historical skills, knowledge, and understanding are built upon year by year. This allows pupils to revisit key concepts, deepen their understanding, and make meaningful connections across different periods of time.
How History Is Taught
At St Mary’s Hampton, history is taught through engaging, well-sequenced lessons that encourage enquiry, critical thinking, and discussion. Lessons are designed to help pupils ask and answer questions about the past, using a range of sources and evidence to support their understanding.
Pupils are given opportunities to:
- Develop a secure understanding of chronology and timelines
- Learn about significant events, people, and periods from local, British, and world history
- Explore key historical concepts such as change, continuity, cause and consequence, similarity and difference, and significance
- Use a range of historical sources, including artefacts, images, written records, and accounts, to ask questions and draw conclusions
- Develop historical enquiry skills, including observation, interpretation, comparison, and explanation
- Communicate their understanding through discussion, writing, drama, and creative outcomes
In EYFS, children begin to develop an understanding of the past through stories, talk, and play. They learn about their own lives, families, and routines, and begin to recognise similarities and differences between now and the past, building early chronological awareness.
In Key Stage 1, pupils build on these foundations by developing a sense of chronology and learning about significant people, events, and changes within living memory and beyond. They are encouraged to use simple sources and historical vocabulary to talk about the past.
In Key Stage 2, pupils deepen their historical understanding by studying a range of periods and civilisations, making connections across time, and developing more sophisticated enquiry skills. They learn to evaluate sources, consider different interpretations of the past, and explain historical events and their impact.
History is taught as a discussion-rich subject where questioning, debate, and reflection are central. Pupils are encouraged to express ideas clearly, justify opinions, and use appropriate historical vocabulary when describing events, people, and periods.
How History Is Assessed
Assessment in history at St Mary’s Hampton is ongoing and formative. It focuses on pupils’ progress in historical knowledge, understanding, and skills rather than on memorising isolated facts.
Teachers assess learning through:
- Observation of pupils during lessons and discussions
- Questioning to explore understanding, reasoning, and use of historical concepts
- Review of written work, timelines, and enquiry outcomes over time
- Pupils’ ability to use historical vocabulary, make connections, and explain ideas
Progress is measured by how well pupils develop chronological understanding, apply historical enquiry skills, and demonstrate increasing independence and depth of thinking as they move through the school. This approach ensures that assessment supports learning and values each child’s developing understanding of the past.
Across all phases, history lessons at St Mary’s Hampton are designed to inspire curiosity, develop critical thinking, and help pupils understand how the past has shaped the present and will continue to influence the future.