History

Curriculum Lead - Mrs Clemence

Curriculum Information

Intent

At New Pasture Lane Primary School, we have developed a high-quality, ambitious history curriculum designed around key concepts and second-order concepts. These provide the lenses through which pupils explore the past, ensuring a deep understanding of how local, national, and global events intertwine.

Core Conceptual Framework

Our curriculum is anchored by four primary themes, revisited across different eras to ensure children "know more and remember more":

Community and Culture: Exploring architecture, civilisation, trade, and religion—ranging from ancient civilisations to the development of Bridlington as a vital coastal hub.
Conflict and Disaster: Investigating conquest, occupation, and peace, including the impact of world wars on our local coastline.
Exploration and Invention: Focusing on migration, navigation, and progress, with particular emphasis on maritime discovery and the evolution of the tourism industry in Bridlington.
Hierarchy and Power: Examining empire, democracy and law, from the power of the Priory to modern government.

Progression of Skills

We teach chronologically to build a coherent mental timeline. Second-order concepts are applied progressively. These include:

Chronology
Similarity and difference
Cause and consequence
Continuity and change
Significance
Historical enquiry
Written and oral expression

Children don't just learn facts; they evaluate the impact of significant people and events, comparing historical periods to their own lived experiences in East Yorkshire.

Milestones for Success

Key Stage	Expected Outcomes
EYFS	Children understand "old" vs "new." They begin to sequence events in their own lives and compare their experiences with those of their families and older generations in the community. They will also be able to sequence events using language relating to time.
KS1	Children develop an awareness of the past beyond living memory. They identify similarities and differences between life today and in the past, such as the evolution of the Bridlington seafront and travel in earlier eras. They also study key significant individuals including Florence Nightingale and locally significant aviator Amy Johnson.
KS2	Pupils achieve a chronologically secure knowledge of British and world history. They use sophisticated vocabulary to describe trends and construct informed arguments based on a thoughtful selection of historical evidence.

Implementation

The history curriculum at New Pasture Lane makes full use of the unique resources within our immediate area. We believe that local studies are the gateway to understanding world history.

A "Sense of Place": Units are specifically designed to include rich links to Bridlington’s heritage, from its origins as a monastic settlement (Bridlington Priory) to its growth as a Victorian seaside resort and its enduring maritime identity.
Learning Beyond the Classroom: We embed frequent opportunities for fieldwork, utilising local landmarks, museums, and the harbour to provide tangible links to the past.
Literacy and Vocabulary: Reading is the heartbeat of our curriculum. High-quality texts and interactive "vocabulary walls" bridge the word gap, ensuring all pupils—particularly those who are disadvantaged—can articulate complex historical ideas.
Inclusive Practice: Our curriculum is ambitious for all. We adapt activities and final outcomes to ensure pupils with SEND can access the same rich content as their peers, supported by tailored resources and scaffolding.

The Teaching Sequence

Every unit begins with a chronological anchor, placing the era on a timeline in relation to previous learning. We then:

Recapprior knowledge and introduce unit-specific vocabulary.
Enquireusing primary sources, artefacts, and local records.
Interpretfindings to draw conclusions about continuity, change, and significance.

Impact

Our curriculum creates curious, analytical learners. Evidence in books demonstrates a broad and balanced acquisition of knowledge and an increased vocabulary. By embedding Bridlington’s history within a global context, we ensure our pupils leave New Pasture Lane with the ability to: ask perceptive questions and think critically.

Sift through evidence and weigh up arguments. and able to give reasonable explanations for their conclusions.
Develop a perspective that values both their local identity and an interest and respect for the wider world.