History
Imagine what everyday life would be like in a society in which no one knew any history. Imagination boggles, because it is only through knowledge of history that a society can have knowledge of itself -
Arthur Marwick, The Nature of History
Vision
History at Penwortham provides a high-quality education that helps pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of the past to create a better tomorrow.
What do children learn and when?
Please click the image below to access the whole school overview:
Please click the image below to access the whole school progression map:
Please click the image below to access the whole school glossary:
How do we teach history?
The history curriculum has been sequenced progressively to support the delivery of the national curriculum as a starting point. Teaching sequences cover all statutory content and beyond ensuring our history curriculum reflects and celebrates our diverse school community.
Throughout the topic, children are given the opportunity to: handle artefacts, question the reliability of various sources, take part in workshops and trips to further enrich their learning and make connections between current and prior learning.
Sequences of learning culminate in an exit point activity which summarises and showcases key learning. Additionally pupils will return to the enquiry question posed at the start of the unit and confidently answer using their new knowledge and the appropriate language. Click here to access our whole school vocabulary glossary.
To further deepen the children’s learning, our English curriculum features a range of texts that compliment our history topics. Click here to learn more. Cross-curricular learning opportunities are also made in other subjects whenever appropriate.
Staff lead: Miss Gosai
Pupil lead: Sofia, Esmee, Aminah, Ella and Lukas
Pupil leaders work closely with teachers to ensure learning is relevant, engaging and aspirational at Penwortham. They have regular meetings with teaching staff to review our history curriculum and suggest possible improvements.
Our thoughts about History at Penwortham:
‘I wanted to become a History Leader because, in my opinion, history is a fascinating subject, and I love learning about the wonders of the past. Our history lessons at Penwortham are fantastic, but I’d love to make them even better!’
‘I also believe history is an incredibly important subject. Without it, we can’t fully understand the present day. While our lessons at Penwortham are engaging, fun, and interesting, I would like to introduce some new ideas to enhance them further.’
Our learning
Year 1 explore how our local area has changed over time. The children enjoye a local walk, spotting old and new buildings and community features. They also meet a local historian in assembly, who shares photos and stories from the past, helping them understand how the area has developed.
Year 2 discover our significant person for the term, Mary Seacole, and enjoy a special workshop. They learn about her life and incredible work before, during, and after the Crimean War, bringing history to life in an engaging and inspiring way.
Year 3 visit Butser Farm as part of their Stone Age to Iron Age unit. They make clay pots, build fire shelters, and handle artefacts, exploring how people lived in the past. The visit helps children understand changes in homes, daily life, and technology over time.
Year 4 completed an exit point activity to decide what they thought was the most significant legacy of the Ancient Greeks. They explored Greek achievements in art, architecture, writing, and democracy, reflecting on how these ideas and inventions continue to influence the world today.
After learning about Viking battles and resistance, Year 5 enjoy an exciting Viking Day. The children take part in activities inspired by Viking life, including role-play, crafts, and games, helping them understand Viking culture, daily life, and the challenges they faced during raids and settlements.
Year 6 have a fantastic visit to Hampton Court Palace, seeing history come to life! They explore the Tudor kitchens, Anne Boleyn’s apartments, beautiful gardens, and the oldest tennis court, learning about Tudor life, food, and pastimes, including how tennis has changed over time.
Autumn Term Entry and Exit Points
Here are slides showing History entry and exit points for last term.
Black History at Penwortham
2025-2026 Theme: Standing Firm in Power and Pride
During Black History Month, we explored inspirational sportspeople and learned about musical instruments from different countries. The children also had the opportunity to hear from our headteacher, who shared her own experiences, helping everyone reflect on achievements, diversity, and the importance of celebrating different cultures.
2024-2025 Theme: Reclaiming Narratives - have a look at our learning here
2023-2024 Theme: Saluting Our Sisters - have a look at our learning here
2022-23 Theme: Time for Change: Action Not Words: have a look at our learning here
2020-21 Theme: Black British Heroes - have a look at our learning here
We are curriculum showcase:
Our family showcases are an opportunity to share our WE ARE curriculum with you and to give you first hand experience of the knowledge, skills and activities your child/ren will explore as they move through the school during their learning journey click here for more information
Parents and carers joined a special history showcase at our school, experiencing and learning about history alongside their children. Together, they completed hands-on activities designed to explore key topics, helping families engage with the curriculum and see how history is taught in an interactive and exciting way.
Parent feedback:
“It was fantastic to learn about the children’s lessons in an interactive setting. It was a good opportunity to meet the History Lead and to hear her point of views of the curriculum. The children all seemed to enjoy it a lot, especially the quiz at the end. Thank you very much!”
“Great idea to do these and see how the children learn. Thank you!”
“It was very useful to have a glance of the kids activities. It was a lot of fun too. Thanks!”