🏺 History at Cottesbrooke

History at Cottesbrooke is about sparking curiosity and giving children a sense of identity, change and continuity. We want them to become thoughtful, independent thinkers who ask questions, explore evidence, and understand that the past has shaped the present.

🧒 In the Early Years

In Nursery and Reception, History is part of Understanding the World. Children begin to develop a sense of time through:

• Talking about themselves and their families

• Sequencing familiar events

• Exploring old and new objects

• Celebrating cultural and historical events (e.g. Bonfire Night, Remembrance, Eid, Diwali)

• Learning about important people from the past, such as Marie Curie and Rosa Parks

⏳ In Key Stage 1

In Years 1 and 2, children explore a range of time periods, significant individuals and events, including:

• Our local area’s history (e.g. John Curry, Jack Grealish, Acocks Green)

• Toys past and present

• Important historical figures like Mary Seacole, Florence Nightingale, Mary Anning, Neil Armstrong and Christopher Columbus

• Events and traditions such as the Great Fire of London and Christmas in Victorian times

• Time travel comparisons between Medieval, Victorian and modern schools

Children use timelines, artefacts, storytelling and role play to develop a sense of chronology and to explore how lives, communities and beliefs have changed over time.