In Year 5's module on Roman Britain, they began by examining the people who lived in Britain before the arrival of the Romans, adding to their timeline and revisiting what life was like in Iron Age Britain. They defined the concept of Empire, explored maps showing how the Romans migrated across Europe, and discussed how they brought their culture, including language and technology, with them. They also examined how the power of the Roman Empire evolved over time, revisiting the concept of Empire from the Ancient Greeks.
The causes of the Roman conquest of Britain were studied, including the motivations of Julius Caesar and Claudius, and their use of military superiority over Iron Age tribes. The children compared the types of settlements that existed in Iron Age Britain with the cities the Romans established. They analysed historical interpretations of Boudicca, ranging from the Roman period to the present day, and drew conclusions about what could and could not be inferred from the Corbridge Hoard about the Roman Army.
Year 5's visit to Bignor Roman Villa allowed them to study its incredible mosaics and hypocausts, providing insights into how some Roman Britons lived. They examined maps of Britain to understand how cities developed, changed, and how certain areas became segregated from Roman rule. They investigated why some Celts chose to become Romanised, the impact this had on their way of life, and why others retained their traditional practices. They concluded by exploring the fall of Rome and its impact on life in Britain, considering to what extent Roman Britain was truly Romanised.