History in St Josephs this half term is well on its way! Some amazing learning has been taking place.

Reception have been looking at the Bible and Creation Story- linking to history. How the world was made many, many years ago and how old some bibles are.

Year 1 have been looking at personal chronology and finding out about the past within living memory. By examining photographs and asking questions, children investigate chronology. Beginning to look at a simple timeline extending back to before they were born.

Year 2 have been learning about how was school different in the past. Comparing differences and similarities between school now and school in the past and understanding that although schools have been in the local area for a long time, they have not always been the same; identifying historical similarities and differences; using a range of sources to recognise continuity between children’s lives past and present.

Year 3 have been learning about the Stone Age asking the question ‘Would you prefer to live in the Stone Age, Iron Age or Bronze Age?’ They have been looking at the chronology of mankind, children are introduced to Britain’s story. They use archaeological evidence to find out about the Stone Age, Bronze and Iron Age.

Year 4 have been investigating the changes in children’s lives through time, children learn how children’s spare time, health and work have changed. They explore work in more detail, learning about a day in the life of a working child and the significance of Lord Shaftesbury in changing the lives of children.

Year 5 have been comparing Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, children learn about the changing nature of monarchy. They examine how monarchs tried to control their public images using portraits and royal progresses. Using Tudor inventories to investigate whether people were rich or poor, children learn what life was like for people in Tudor times.

Year 6 have been Investigating local histories from the Victorian to the inter-war period, children explore census records. They learn about the census, its purpose and its changes over time. Children suggest reasons for these changes, linking them to national events. Planning their own historical enquiry, they research a local family or street.

Pupil Voice

"When something happened a long, long time ago." Sade Year 1

"History is stuff that happened a minute ago or a million years ago." Rory Year 2

"We learn about our past and what happened in those days... why people in olden days are important". Aisha Year 5

"We are excited to learn new things." Jenessa Year 5

"We learn and have fun at the same time" Paola Year 4

"We used timelines- picture of me when I was a baby, in Nursery, in Reception and now Year 1." Israel Year 1

"I know I am doing well if it is highlighted pink, if it is green I need more help". Kaima Year 2

"My strength is my participation in my lessons, I am good at answering questions." Olivia W Year 5

"I need to get better at using my knowledge organiser to help me with my vocabulary." Haris Year 6

"I enjoy history lessons very much, lets say 99% but I enjoy Science 100%, only 1% difference." Rory Year 2

Today we marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day at St Josephs. We started with an assembly during which we reflected on the significance of today. Each class did their own activities to commemorate D-Day which were:

Reception: The children used various mediums to commemorate the soldiers parachuting on to the beaches of Normandy.

Year 1: The children did some creative writing, pretending to be soldiers going off to war. They spoke about how they felt being a soldier.

Year 2: The children wrote beautiful prayers of love, peace and justice.

Year 3: The children made D-Day medals.

Year 4: The children wrote letters home from a soldier's perspective.

Year 5: The children made their own D-Day poems/raps and wrote their own prayers for the soldiers.

Year 6: The children used oil pastels,water colours and silhouettes to produce D-Day paintings.

Summer 1 2024

History in Action!

This half term the children have been very busy with their history learning.  They have been busy researching, finding out, looking at and studying first and secondary resources. Our Year groups have covered these topics:

Celebration of some History work from Year 6 - Year1. The children have been busy learning about the Iron Age-Stone age, Explorers, Nurses, Romans, Egyptians and WWII. Here are some examples of their work.

At St Joseph’s, we aim for a high quality history curriculum which should inspire in pupils a curiosity about the Britain’s past and that of the wider world.

In order to achieve this we aim:

• know and understand the history of these islands as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day: how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world.
• know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution of empires; characteristic features of past non-European societies; achievements and follies of mankind
• gain and deploy a historically grounded understanding of abstract terms such as ‘empire’, ‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and ‘peasantry’
• understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and

          consequence, similarity, difference and significance, and use them to 

          make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame historically-valid

          questions and create their own structured accounts, including written

          narratives and analyses                    

• understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed
• gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history; and between short- and long-term timescales.

At St Joseph’s we want the children to have thoroughly enjoyed learning about history, therefore encouraging them to undertake new life experiences now and in the future.