Curriculum Intent – History
At Ryecroft C.E. Middle School, our History curriculum provides pupils with a coherent overview of over 1,000 years of British history, thoughtfully enriched by studies of significant non-European civilisations.
Our curriculum is structured around three core strands which enable pupils to make meaningful connections across time:
- Power, authority and conflict
- Beliefs and ideas
- Everyday lives and social history
These strands are explored through carefully sequenced, enquiry-led enquiries which encourage pupils to ask and answer meaningful historical questions. Across Years 5 to 8, pupils develop a secure chronological framework, enabling them to place events and periods in context and understand change and continuity over time.
Through a rich range of case studies from the Vikings and the Norman Conquest to the Industrial Revolution and the British Empire pupils encounter diverse societies and perspectives, including non-European civilisations such as the Maya and Islamic world. This ensures they develop both a strong understanding of Britain’s past and its place within wider world history.
Our curriculum is underpinned by the explicit teaching and revisiting of key disciplinary skills, preparing pupils for further study at GCSE and beyond. These include:
- Cause and consequence
- Analysis of sources and evidence
- Interpretation of different viewpoints
- Evaluation and judgement
- Understanding historical significance
By the end of Year 8, pupils are equipped to think critically, construct informed arguments, and appreciate the complexity of the past, fostering both intellectual curiosity and a deeper understanding of the world they live in.
HISTORY CURRICULUM Y5 - 8
