History
At Orchard Vale Community School, our History curriculum is built on the school’s wider mission to inspire a love of learning, nurture curiosity, and ensure every child grows into a confident and knowledgeable individual. The school places great emphasis on providing an engaging, broad, and balanced curriculum designed to help children flourish academically and personally.
Our Approach
History at Orchard Vale is taught through a rich, thematic curriculum which encourages pupils to explore the past in meaningful and engaging ways. While specific History content is woven into broader topics, the school’s curriculum structure ensures that all subjects—including History—are delivered with high expectations, careful planning, and a commitment to developing key skills.
The school values creativity, critical thinking, and curiosity across all learning, and these values directly shape the History curriculum. Lessons are designed to inspire children, helping them make connections across time periods, cultures, and global events while developing a strong sense of identity and belonging.
Curriculum Features
- A Love of Learning
Orchard Vale encourages children to develop motivation, resilience, and a genuine passion for learning—key attitudes that underpin successful historical enquiry. Pupils are supported in becoming inquisitive learners who enjoy asking questions and exploring the world around them.
- A Broad and Balanced Experience
While the school highlights specific subjects such as reading, phonics, computing, and design and technology, all curriculum areas—including History—are delivered as part of a carefully considered, whole‑school approach. This ensures that History lessons integrate skills such as research, analysis, communication, and the use of technology.
- Cross‑Curricular Learning
History is often connected with wider topic work, allowing pupils to investigate historical themes through literacy, art, computing, or outdoor learning. These cross‑curricular links deepen understanding and create memorable learning experiences. The school’s commitment to creativity and hands‑on learning—such as through its outdoor spaces and project‑based activities—enriches children’s historical understanding.
- Developing Skills for Life
Aligned with the school’s values of pride, resilience, and individuality, the History curriculum helps pupils develop important lifelong skills, including:
- Evaluating evidence
- Understanding cause and effect
- Recognising different perspectives
- Appreciating cultural and historical diversity
EYFS
In our Early Years provision children explore changes in; the environment, people around us and objects old and new. Introducing new vocabulary and asking questions about others and the world around them.
Nursery History Medium Term PlanningReception History Medium Term Planning
Key Stage 1
In KS1 the children explore significant people for example, Neil Armstrong, and the impact they have had on the world. They also learn about significant events, ranging from the Great Fire of London to more recent history such as the deforestation of rainforests and the impact these events have had.
Years 1 & 2 History Medium Term Planning
Key Stage 2
In Lower KS2 the children look at history from a wider timeline, studying the Stone Age, Iron Age and Bronze Age, through to the Vikings and Ancient China leading up to more recent history such as new inventions. The children explore how these events happen in a chronological order and the impacts these have had on each others and the progression of the world.
In Upper KS2 the children begin to make comparisons between different cultures and civilizations throughout history. The look deeply at WW1 and WW2 and focus on the impact these have had worldwide. The children will think about cause, change and consequence across historical events, they will take part in discussions and debates based on their historical knowledge and research.