History

History at St Clare's School

Why do we teach History at St Clare's?

History has always been considered a vital aspect of the curriculum at St Clare's Catholic Primary School. The school’s own rich history, within the context of the local area, is a celebrated and inspiring feature of the school. The history curriculum at St Clare’s draws from and makes full use of the immediate and wider local area (Colchester), enabling children to develop a deeper understanding of the rich history of their local area.

The topics, which form our two-year rolling programme at St Clare's are, informed by the National Curriculum and take into consideration the children’s interests as well as the context of the local area. The curriculum at St Clare's is carefully planned and structured to ensure that current learning is linked to prior knowledge and that the school’s approaches are informed by current ideas.

Why I enjoy leading History at St Clare's:

History has always been a subject I have found deeply fascinating. From an early age, I was intrigued by the past and how significant historical events have shaped and influenced the world we live in today. This passion led me to study History at GCSE level, and it continues to inspire my role as History Coordinator.
As a teacher, one of the most rewarding aspects of my role is watching children become captivated by the past. Whether it’s exploring events like the Great Fire of London or discovering the wonders of fossils, pupils show genuine curiosity and excitement in their learning. It is a joy to see their enthusiasm grow as they begin to make connections and ask thoughtful questions about the world before them.
It has been particularly lovely to observe the progression of historical understanding across the school. In EYFS, children begin by talking about the past in relation to themselves and topics such as dinosaurs. As they move through the school, their knowledge deepens, and by Year 6, pupils are confidently discussing and interpreting more complex areas of history, such as the slave trade, with maturity and insight.
We are passionate about bringing history to life for our children. Pupils are fully immersed in their topics, with opportunities to visit local historical sites such as Colchester Castle, allowing them to experience history within a real-life, local context. In the younger years, we also welcome visitors and actors into school to enhance learning through engaging, hands-on experiences. From fossil hunting workshops to learning about significant historical figures such as Mary Anning, these opportunities spark curiosity and create memorable learning experiences.
Through a rich and engaging history curriculum, we aim to inspire a lifelong love of learning about the past and an understanding of how it continues to shape our future.

Rebecca Bell

Mission Statement
With Jesus, we learn to love and love to learn
Our Vision
To give every child a sense of belonging, so that they have a safe and stable base from which to develop and learn.		To enable every child to grow academically, socially, morally, spiritually and culturally in the knowledge that they are loved by God and can feel safe and valued within our school community.		To nurture and support children through their primary school journey so that they are confident and well equipped to progress into the wider world as strong, independent learners and thoughtful, caring individuals.
Our Values
Resilience	Inclusion	Honesty	Compassion	Respect	Love
Our Intent
All pupils will gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world, which in turn will stimulate pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past. All pupils are encouraged to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments and develop perspective and judgement. All pupils will begin to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their own lives. All pupils will learn through exploration and enquiry.
Implementation
Each topic begins with the KWL (What I know, what I would like to know and what I have learnt). This strategy allows staff to check existing knowledge, which in turn informs a programme of study that is responsive to the children’s needs and interests. Children are provided with a subject knowledge organiser at the beginning of each topic to help develop the understanding of key vocabulary and key events within the period they are learning (short pre-teaching to address misconceptions and answer questions). In EYFS the teaching of history is underpinned by the objectives of the early learning goals. The children are encouraged to talk about past and present events in the context of their own lives and in the lives of family members. In KS1 pupils will learn about their own lives, about their families and friends in the recent past and about people and events from the more distant past. Some events selected for study may prepare the way for a deeper understanding of the same or similar periods at KS2. In KS2, pupils will work on all the areas of study identified in the National Curriculum 2014. Teachers will refer back to skills previously learnt and draw upon learning from KS1. Where appropriate, cross-curricular links may be made across different areas of the curriculum. Where there are opportunities for making meaningful connections with other projects, history projects are sequenced accordingly. Where possible, school trips and/or experience days will be included in teaching to engage children and encourage them to link their historical learning to real life contexts and situations.
Impact
Children will make good progress in their acquisition of skills and knowledge. Children will gain a deeper understanding of Britain’s past and the wider world. Children will feel inspired to learn more about the past. Children will have received access to a range of learning experiences both in and out of the classroom. Children will develop a love and passion for history and the world we live in.