Witamy w kościele św. Bernadety
Learn to love, love to learn
"History is who we are and why we are the way we are."
— David McCullough
Our History Journey
Learning from the Past. Inspiring the Future.
At St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, we believe that History helps children understand the world they live in by exploring the people, events and civilisations that have shaped it. Through a carefully sequenced curriculum, pupils develop secure historical knowledge, ask meaningful questions, investigate historical evidence and make connections across different periods of time. Our aim is for every child to become a curious historian who appreciates the achievements of the past and understands how history continues to influence our lives today.
Our History curriculum has been carefully designed to inspire curiosity, deepen understanding and develop children into confident young historians. We believe that History should never be reduced to remembering dates or isolated facts. Instead, it should encourage children to investigate evidence, think critically, appreciate different perspectives and discover the stories that have shaped our society.
As pupils journey through our curriculum, they begin by exploring familiar aspects of the past before gradually broadening their understanding of local, British and world history. They develop secure chronological understanding while learning to analyse historical sources, consider different interpretations and communicate their ideas using historical vocabulary with increasing confidence.
Learning is purposeful, practical and memorable. Children handle artefacts, examine historical sources, take part in role play, visit places of historical significance and engage in rich discussions that encourage them to think like historians. These experiences ensure that knowledge is not simply learned but understood, remembered and applied.
Our Curriculum Journey
Our Historical Journey
Throughout their time at St Bernadette's, children progress from understanding that the past is different from today to becoming independent young historians who evaluate evidence, recognise different interpretations and make thoughtful connections across history.
Year 1–2: Discovering the past through people, events and everyday life.
Year 3–4: Understanding how Britain has changed and developed over time.
Year 5–6: Exploring ancient civilisations, evaluating evidence and understanding how history shapes the present.
How We Learn History
Knowledge • Skills • Historical Thinking
At St Bernadette's, History is carefully planned so that children build knowledge and historical understanding year by year. Rather than studying isolated topics, pupils revisit key concepts and skills throughout their primary education, helping them think more deeply about the past and make meaningful connections between different periods of history.
Our Six Key Historical Concepts
Throughout every History unit, children develop their understanding of:
Chronological Understanding – understanding when events happened and how periods connect.
Cultural, Ethnic and Religious Diversity – exploring the lives and experiences of different people.
Change and Continuity – identifying what changed and what remained the same.
Cause and Consequence – explaining why events happened and their impact.
Significance – understanding why people and events are remembered.
Interpretation – recognising that historians use evidence to develop different viewpoints.
Our Three Historical Skills
Children learn to:
Ask Historical Questions – becoming curious historians.
Use Historical Evidence – investigating artefacts, photographs and historical sources.
Communicate Historical Understanding – discussing, explaining and justifying ideas using historical vocabulary.
Progression Across the School
Inclusion
At St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, we believe that every child is a historian. Our History curriculum is designed to ensure that all pupils can access, enjoy and succeed in their learning. Through practical experiences, historical artefacts, discussion, storytelling and carefully planned support, children develop secure historical knowledge and confidence in thinking like historians.
Teachers use adaptive teaching strategies, high-quality resources and ambitious expectations to remove barriers to learning while ensuring every child is challenged and supported. We celebrate the diverse people, cultures and experiences that have shaped Britain and the wider world, helping children develop empathy, respect and an appreciation of the richness of our shared history.
Our Vision
As a Catholic school, our curriculum reflects the dignity of every person and encourages pupils to explore themes of justice, courage, compassion and service through the study of history. Guided by the principles of Catholic Social Teaching, children learn that understanding the past helps us build a more peaceful, respectful and compassionate future.
We want every child to leave St Bernadette's with a love of History, a curiosity about the past and the confidence to think critically, ask questions and understand how people, places and events have shaped the world we live in today.