We believe that children need to learn core knowledge whilst developing the necessary skills to make them independent thinkers who will progress through school and beyond. With this in mind, our staff have worked hard to develop a History and Geography curriculum which is dynamic, broad, balanced and innovative to ensure that the children enjoy a practical, fun, challenging learning experience that will prepare them for life in 21st Century Britain. We recognise that children need a curriculum that is wider than the statutory National Curriculum. Where possible, subject specific content is covered within the context of whole term topics. Staff within each Key Stage plan together to cover all areas of the curriculum over the course of a two year rolling programme which accommodates our mixed year group classes. Some topics will lean more towards History than Geography and vise versa but across the year a balance of subjects is covered.
Knowledge (what children understand and remember) for each topic is celebrated at the end of each unit of study via pupils completing personal ‘Double Page Spreads’. These are an opportunity for them to creatively express all that they have learnt over the term.
Teachers are exploring how the following Historical threads can woven into topics across Key Stage 1 and 2. Common threads support linked learning within the subject:
| Autumn term | Spring term | Summer term | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year A | Celebrate and remember: Gunpowder Plot Within living memory: how our families have celebrated special events over time Beyond living memory: Gunpowder Plot Significant individuals: Guy Fawkes King James I
| Explore & Discover: Space Within living memory: Our grandparents and parents memories of space exploration Beyond living memory: Ancient stories about celestial bodies Significant individuals: Neil Armstrong Tim Peake Valentina Tereshkova | Lands far away: Rainforests Within living memory: Who is looking after the rainforest? Beyond living memory: Early explorers to South America Significant individuals: David Attenborough Margaret Lowman |
| Year B | Fire Fire: Great Fire of London Beyond living memory: Events of the Great Fire and the rebuilding of London Significant individuals: Samuel Pepys Sir Christopher Wren King Charles II
| Our wonderful selves Within living memory: changes in life that we have experienced in recent pandemic Beyond living memory: development of smallpox vaccine Significant individuals: Edward Jenner Florence Nightingale Mary Seacole | We live in Royal Windsor Within living memory: local royal celebrations Events beyond living memory: Windsor castle in Victorian times Significant individuals: Queen Elizabeth II & our royal family Queen Victoria |
| Autumn term | Spring term | Summer term | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year A | Imposing invaders: The Romans in Britain What was Britain like before the Roman invasion? What did the Romans bring to Britain? What did they leave behind? Who was Queen Boudica?
| A journey to the unknown: Japan Who were the Samurai and Shoguns? Review a timeline of the events of the bombing of Pearl harbour Compare and contrast multiple sources around this event
| The Sweetest thing: A chocolate experience Exploring the history of chocolate and how it came to Europe Who were the ancient Mayans? How did they live? Comparing ancient Mayan society with what we have learnt about ancient Japanese society? |
| Year B | Walk like and Egyptian Reviewing a timeline of the major events of the ancient Egyptian Civilisation Exploring how and why the pyramids were built What do the artefacts in King Tutankhamun's tomb tell us about ancient Egyptian life and beliefs?
| Fire it up: Stone Age - Bronze Age Understand the importance of fire for early people How was life in the Bronze Age different to the Stone Age?
| Live the local life you live: Windsor and surrounding area Review events that led to William the Conqueror’s invasion of Britain Why did William the Conqueror build Windsor Castle tower? Explore the social order of medieval Britain and the feudal system Explore the events around the signing of Magna Carta and its significance for modern democracy |