History

The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future.’ Theodore Roosevelt

Intent

At Godolphin School, our History curriculum is designed to ignite a deep curiosity in our students about the past, encouraging them to explore and question the events that have shaped our world. We aim to develop their understanding of history not as a series of isolated facts, but as a dynamic narrative that connects individuals, communities and societies across time.

We recognise each student as an individual with unique perspectives and ideas. In our classrooms, we foster an environment where kindness and respect are paramount, allowing students to engage in thoughtful discussions, listen to diverse viewpoints, and collaborate effectively. By challenging stereotypes and promoting empathy, we help students appreciate the complexity of historical events and the diverse experiences of those who lived through them.

Implementation

Our approach to teaching history is inquiry-based, encouraging students to ask questions, analyse evidence, and draw connections between past and present. We utilise our local environment, focusing on key historical figures and sites of interest, to make learning relevant and tangible. Through this, students develop critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of how history influences our world today.

Our History curriculum is underpinned by the Kapow Primary scheme, a structured and engaging programme chosen to spark curiosity and creativity in our pupils. This scheme helps children build a deep and meaningful understanding of local, national and global history. It supports progression across year groups and regular reviews of concepts, secures understanding.

A key focus of our curriculum is to support pupils in developing a secure sense of chronology, enabling them to make meaningful connections across time periods. We also introduce pupils to how historians work and how they investigate the past. To prepare them for future study, we embed key historical concepts such as power, invasion, settlement and migration, empire, civilisation, religion, trade, human achievement, society, and culture.