History

Significant People

Who has changed our world and what have they done?

The lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements.

Key concepts: figures, events, recent change.

Vocabulary

timeline

past/present

living memory

artefacts

sources

evidence

research

century

decade

environment

courage

commitment

compassion

curiosity

Progressive Skills

Chronological Understanding

Sequence artefacts closer together in time - check with reference book
Sequence photographs and personal artefacts from different periods of an individual's life
Describe memories of key events in lives
Show an awareness of the past, using common words and phrases relating to the passing of time
Describe where people and events fit within a timeline and identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods of history

Range & Depth of Historical Knowledge

Recognise why people did things and why events happened
Discuss the lives of significant people in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements
Use some of significant peoples’ lives to compare aspects of life in different periods and what happened as a result
Identify differences between ways of life at different times

Interpretations of History

Compare 2 versions of a past event
Compare pictures or photographs of people or events in the past
Discuss reliability of photos/accounts/stories

Historical Enquiry

Ask and answer questions, choosing and using parts of stories and other sources (including artefacts) to show that they know and understand key features of events
Show understanding of some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented

Organisation & Communication

Use a wide vocabulary of everyday historical terms
Speak about how I have found out about the past
Record what I have learned by drawing and writing including labelled diagrams and annotating photos

Progressive Content

Can humans change the world?

Can individual people affect human history?
What are the changes that happened as a result of the actions of the individuals we are studying?
To consider how lives were different throughout history.

How can we be sure about what happened in the past?

I can create a timeline of events.
I can identify reliable and unreliable sources.
I can compare the experiences of other people.
I can compare pictures or photographs of people or events in the past.

Would our lives be different without Walt Disney?

I can compare what public life was like before and after Walt Disney's life.
I can discuss the lasting impacts of his work.
I can use dates to place events on a timeline.

Did Rosa Parks change the world?

I can use photographs and other sources to compare what public life was like before and after Rosa Parks's actions.
I can identify the lasting impacts of her decision..
Comment on how our lives would be different if Rosa hadn’t taken action.

Has David Attenborough changed how we feel about nature?

Compare what public life was like before and after David Attenborough's work.
Identify lasting impacts of his work.
Comment on how our lives and the future of our planet would be different if he did not become significant.

How can timelines help us understand the past?

Use dates to place events on a timeline.
Compare when people experienced different events and how they altered the future.
Consider how these actions could continue to be significant.
Compare pictures or photographs of people or events in the past

Updated curriculum from September 2025

What was life like for Black people in the US in the 1950s?

Understand and explain what is meant by discrimination.
Use photographs to make deductions about how people were treated in the US in the 1950s.
Compare the differences in attitudes of society today.

What can we learn about Rosa Parks from stories of her early life?

To use a range of sources to research who Rosa Parks was.
Make sensible deductions about what has been researched.
Understand what is meant by segregation and explain the impact this had on Rosa’s early life.

What did Rosa Parks do that has made her so significant?

Understand and explain what is meant by the civil rights movement.
Place the events of Rosa Parks’ life on a chronological timeline.
Offer suggestions for what Rosa Parks’ motivation was.

How did Rosa Parks’ actions lead to life for black people getting better?

Explain the impact of Rosa Parks’ actions for herself and others.
Discuss and explain why equality was important to Rosa Parks.
Discuss and explain how Rosa Parks’ actions influenced changes in society.

What can we learn about Emily Davison from stories of her life?

To use a range of sources to research who Emily Davison was.
Make sensible deductions about what has been researched.
Understand what is meant by women’s rights and explain the motivation behind her actions.

How do the actions of Rosa Parks and Emily Davison compare?

Compare and contrast the motivation of both women’s actions.
Compare and contrast the changes in society that have happened as a result of their actions.
Explain the influence of both women on our society today.