History - Purpose of study

At Portsdown, we aim to inspire pupils’ curiosity to find out more about the past. A good, quality history education will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and the wider word. We aim to equip pupils with the tools to ask questions, think critically and to weigh up evidence to make their own judgements. At Portsdown we don’t just learn about - history we become historians!

Early Years

Pupils should develop an understanding of the wider world around them through a range of stories, nursery rhymes and experiences. Their awareness of the past and present will be fostered through talking about the lives of the people around them and their roles in society. They should know some similarities and differences between things in the past and now, drawing on experiences and what has been read in class. They will also develop understanding of the past through setting, characters and events encountered in books read in class and storytelling. 

Key stage 1

Pupils should develop an awareness of the past, using common words and phrases relating to the passing of time. They should know where the people and events they study fit within a chronological framework and identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods. They should use a wide vocabulary of everyday historical terms. They should ask and answer questions, choosing and using parts of stories and other sources to show that they know and understand key features of events. They should understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented.

Key stage 2

Pupils should continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study. They should note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms. They should regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance. They should construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information. They should understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.