History at Fawbert & Barnard’s

Intent

Fawbert & Barnard’s Primary School has a rich heritage dating back to 1836 when it was founded by a charitable trust. We take pride in this history and draw upon it wherever possible to help pupils understand their place within the story of our school, local area and wider community.

Our History curriculum is designed to build pupils’ knowledge of Britain’s past and the wider world while nurturing curiosity, critical thinking and a sense of identity. In line with the National Curriculum, and with a clear vision of what we want pupils to know by the time they leave Year 6, we aim for children to:

• Develop a secure chronological understanding of key historical periods
• Gain a coherent knowledge of significant people, events and civilisations
• Ask perceptive questions and think critically about sources and evidence
• Understand that history involves interpretation and differing viewpoints
• Explore the complexity of people’s lives, societies and change over time
• Make meaningful links between past events and their own lives
• Build confidence in sharing prior knowledge and expressing what they want to learn

We want pupils to leave Fawbert & Barnard’s with a deep appreciation of how the past has shaped our world and with the curiosity to continue exploring history beyond primary school.

Implementation

History is taught through a carefully sequenced curriculum that ensures progression from EYFS to Year 6.

Early Years Foundation Stage

In EYFS, children follow Understanding the World, developing an awareness of past and present, family history, and changes over time through stories, play and discussion.

Key Stage 1

In KS1, learning focusses on familiar events and people within living memory. Children also explore significant national and global events beyond living memory—such as early flight—which provide essential foundations for more complex chronological understanding in KS2.

Key Stage 2

In KS2, pupils study a broad range of historical periods through rich, cross-curricular topics. Using a “big ideas” approach, children frequently revisit prior learning, make connections across time periods, and reflect on changes, continuity and causation.

By the end of Year 6, pupils have built a chronological framework from the Stone Age to the present day, complemented by in-depth studies of world history such as Ancient Egypt and the Maya civilisation.

High-Quality Teaching and Learning

Across the school:

• Teachers plan purposeful cross-curricular links—with English, Art and DT—to deepen understanding
• Historical enquiry is central: pupils ask questions, analyse sources, evaluate evidence and communicate their findings
• Learning is recorded creatively through written work, diagrams, sketches, timelines, models and drama
• Progression of skills is planned across:
  • Chronological understanding
  • Knowledge of people, events and changes
  • Making connections across periods
  • Interpretation of history
  • Historical enquiry and use of sources

Local history is woven throughout the curriculum, making strong use of our immediate environment and Harlow’s rich historical context.

Impact

The impact of our History curriculum is seen in pupils who:

• Show genuine enthusiasm and curiosity about the past
• Can speak confidently about the historical periods they have studied
• Use accurate vocabulary to describe events, people and changes
• Demonstrate strong enquiry skills—questioning, analysing and drawing conclusions
• Produce written and creative outcomes that reflect secure knowledge and progression

Work in books and discussions with pupils show a broad and balanced curriculum that prepares children well for the next stage of learning.

By the time they leave Fawbert & Barnard’s, pupils understand how history shapes the present and have the tools to think critically about the world around them.