Discovering History at Marlborough St Mary’s Primary School!

Welcome to the vibrant world of history at Marlborough St Mary’s (MSM) Primary School, where we foster an inclusive, happy, and successful learning environment at the heart of our local community. Our approach to history is deeply rooted in our core drivers: Read, Talk, Pride, and Marlborough.

TALK: We encourage the use of technical vocabulary, engaging talk partners, facilitating meaningful discussions, and creating word banks to enhance communication skills and comprehension.
  
READ: Our history curriculum involves linked texts, sharing work, providing and receiving feedback, as well as interactive tools like vote posters and cubes to enrich reading experiences.

PRIDE: We celebrate historical milestones and achievements, instilling a sense of pride amongst our students. This celebration cultivates a purpose-driven understanding of the past and its relevance today.

Community Engagement: We regularly organise visits to our local area, connecting our students with the historical fabric of our community and fostering a strong sense of belonging.

Curriculum Intent

At MSM, our curriculum embodies an engaging, active approach that is inclusive and experiential. We prioritise practical, cross-curricular activities that nurture curiosity and resilience, instilling creativity, imagination, and a love for learning. Our aim is to develop confident, independent learners who care for themselves, each other, and the environment.

Subject Intent

At Marlborough St Mary’s, our History curriculum is built around the core values of Read, Talk, Pride, and Marlborough. We strive to help every child develop a strong understanding and appreciation of the past, with a curriculum that brings history to life both locally and globally. Our lessons encourage pupils to read about people and events that have shaped our world, to talk confidently about what they discover, and to feel pride in their knowledge and growing skills.

Supporting Every Learner
We believe that every child should be able to access and enjoy learning about history, and we provide specific support for disadvantaged learners. Through pre-teaching, enrichment opportunities, and targeted scaffolding, we ensure that all students can grasp and retain the key historical concepts they’ll need to progress confidently.

A Structured Journey Through History
Our History curriculum is thoughtfully sequenced, helping students build a secure understanding of historical knowledge and skills as they move through school. From learning about local history here in Marlborough to understanding Britain’s impact on the wider world, our pupils develop a sense of chronology that allows them to make meaningful connections between the past and the present.

Engaged, Curious Learners
In History lessons, children investigate a range of primary and secondary sources, including books and digital resources. By reading and interpreting these sources, they develop the skills of enquiry, analysis, and interpretation. Our young historians are encouraged to ask questions, discuss ideas, and understand that different perspectives on the past can offer rich insights. We aim to nurture pupils who are engaged, motivated, and curious about the world.

Celebrating Our Cultural Heritage
By exploring how people lived in the past, we help children value their own and others' cultures in modern Britain. We encourage pride in the diverse heritage of our school community and in Marlborough’s own history. Our curriculum also teaches pupils about Britain’s development as a democratic society, helping them grow into informed, respectful, and tolerant citizens.

Implementation

Early Years History at Marlborough St Mary’s
In Early Years, we begin introducing children to vocabulary associated with history, setting the foundation for their journey as young historians. Through the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework, pupils start to make sense of their world and community. Using stories, non-fiction, rhymes, and poems, they explore the diverse and ever-changing world, marking their first steps in understanding history. They learn to talk about how time passes in their lives and discover significant historical events, fostering a sense of pride in our shared heritage.

History in KS1 and KS2
As pupils move into KS1 and KS2, we revisit and build on their previous knowledge, helping them integrate new concepts through carefully planned scaffolding. Teachers model subject-specific vocabulary and skills, and disadvantaged learners receive extra support through targeted interventions, pre-teaching, and additional resources. These efforts ensure that all children have equal access to a rich historical education. We also provide hands-on learning experiences, both inside and outside the classroom, to bridge potential gaps in cultural capital and nurture a curiosity about the past.

Key Stage 1
In KS1, pupils start developing an understanding of the past by learning common terms related to time and placing events on a chronological timeline. They begin to recognise similarities and differences across different periods, expanding their vocabulary with historical terms. Through stories and sources, they ask questions and explore key historical events, making their first connections to the world around them.

Pupils in KS1 explore:

• Changes within living memory, such as how homes and education have evolved.
• Significant events beyond living memory, like Shackleton’s expeditions and the Coronation.
• Events remembered through festivals or anniversaries, including the Great Fire of London and the Crimean War.
• Lives of significant individuals, including Florence Nightingale, Mary Seacole, and Isambard Kingdom Brunel, comparing life across different periods.
• Historical events and places in Marlborough, discovering how our local community has changed over the last hundred years.

Key Stage 2
In KS2, pupils build a secure chronological understanding of British, local, and world history, developing clear narratives across periods and identifying patterns and trends. Structured interventions and formative assessments help disadvantaged pupils fill any gaps, ensuring they have the support they need. Pupils also explore and sometimes create historically valid questions about change, cause, and significance, selecting relevant information to build informed responses. They gain insight into how we learn about the past, using a variety of historical sources to deepen their understanding.

Pupils in KS2 study:

• The evolution from the Stone Age to the Iron Age.
• Ancient civilisations, like the achievements of the Egyptians and the influence of Ancient Greece.
• The impact of the Roman Empire on Britain and Britain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots.
• The Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle leading to the Battle of Hastings.
• The remarkable Mayan civilisation and their contributions.
• Local history studies, including WW2 in Savernake Forest and Marlborough’s Blue Plaque Walk.
• Life in Tudor times and how it shaped our society today.

Through Read, Talk, Pride, and Marlborough, our History curriculum ensures all pupils at Marlborough St Mary’s become confident, knowledgeable, and respectful young historians who can appreciate the past’s connection to their own lives and communities.

Impact

At Marlborough St Mary’s, our commitment to quality teaching in History aims to spark a genuine love for the subject. Pupil feedback shows that students enjoy discussing what they’ve learnt, confidently using subject-specific vocabulary and recalling key concepts over time. For disadvantaged learners, we provide additional support, including pre-teaching key vocabulary and targeted scaffolding, to ensure they feel confident and engaged in history discussions.

Our book reviews confirm that History is taught to an age-appropriate standard across year groups, with opportunities for students working at greater depth. The work produced demonstrates strong knowledge, skills, and vocabulary in a well-organised sequence. Tailored interventions help disadvantaged learners use key vocabulary and show a clear understanding of the material, ensuring everyone can succeed in History. Regular assessments and book checks track each pupil’s understanding and progression in line with our curriculum goals.

Our History Curriculum Aims to:

• Develop pupils’ critical thinking and analytical skills, preparing them for Key Stage 3 and beyond.
• Increase awareness of how historical events shape today’s world, linking the past with the present.
• Provide a deeper understanding of Marlborough’s rich local history.
• Encourage enquiry and independent research, helping pupils think critically and ask questions.
• Offer high-quality educational visits to deepen their appreciation of history.

We make sure that disadvantaged learners have access to these enrichment opportunities, along with the resources and interventions needed to retain learning and connect new concepts with previous lessons. Through Read, Talk, Pride, and Marlborough, our History curriculum inspires every child to become an engaged, confident historian.