History
At Orgill, our history curriculum inspires curiosity about the past and helps children understand how history shapes the world they live in today. We aim to develop knowledgeable, thoughtful learners who can question, connect and reflect on historical events across time.
We use a structured and enquiry-led approach to the teaching of history that encourages children to investigate key people, events and periods from the past. Through purposeful questioning, pupils develop a secure understanding of history at local, national and international levels and consider how past events continue to influence life today.
Our history curriculum is carefully planned to ensure knowledge is retained long term, not simply learned in the moment. Learning is cumulative and builds progressively, allowing children to revisit, strengthen and deepen their understanding over time. Teaching approaches such as retrieval practice, spaced learning and deliberate practice are used to support memory and understanding, ensuring new learning is meaningfully connected to prior knowledge and reducing cognitive overload.
Key historical concepts, events, people and places are revisited and developed throughout the curriculum so that pupils become increasingly confident and expert historians. This supports the development of a clear and coherent mental timeline and prevents fragmented or superficial understanding. Historical vocabulary is introduced, revisited and built upon sequentially from Year 1 to Year 6 to support increasingly sophisticated thinking and discussion.
We place strong emphasis on learning through real experiences and practical exploration. By making effective use of the local area and wider historical resources, children are given opportunities to engage with the past in meaningful and hands-on ways, helping them to develop a deeper understanding of history and how it relates to their own lives and community.
By the time children leave Orgill, they will have developed a broad and secure knowledge of key historical periods and events, alongside strong critical thinking and analytical skills. These skills will enable them to ask thoughtful questions, make informed judgments and draw reasoned conclusions, supporting them not only in future learning but throughout their lives.