History at Billesley is a creative, child-led exploration which aims to inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past and how it has affected the world around them. Each period of History that is studied throughout their primary education follows a concept-based approach, where children develop their understanding of a topic through the lens of wider themes, such as: ‘Change and Progress’, ‘Legacy’ and ‘Impact’. 

This approach endeavours to challenge children’s own perspectives of the past; create comparisons between different time periods and build the understanding of each concept when it is explored in varied topics. Learning provocations are used at the start of each topic to provoke thought and motivate thinking or investigation into the subject. This enables the children to experience, discover and engage in the ‘world of the past’ in an immersive and exciting way. 

Children as early as Year 1 will begin to study the concept of ‘Change and Progress’ within their Great Fire of London topic and their understanding of what this concept means in History. This is then built upon successively each year so that by the time they leave at the end of Year 6, they will have a breadth of knowledge and skills linked to this theme and how it applies to different elements within British and World History. 

Britain’s own beginnings are investigated through primary sources in Years 3 and 4 when comparing life in the Stone, Bronze, and Iron Ages to those tumultuous times of change when Britain was invaded by the Anglo-Saxons, the Vikings and the Romans Empires with many invaders staying and settling in our isles.

Looking closer to home, children in Year 5 discover the fascinating roots of their local area through their study of the Industrial Revolution in Birmingham. They will find out about how our great city has developed over time through the inventions and innovations made during this period as well as studying how it impacted upon the lives of children living within this significant moment of historical change. 

Venturing further away from home, Years 4 and 6 unearth the early and ancient civilisations of China, Greece and Ancient Baghdad, identifying similarities and differences to their own lives and seeing the impact these cultures have had on different societies.  Year 2 will study the impact and differences certain individuals have made in British and World History through revolutionary women like Malala Yousafzai and the Suffragettes.  

Throughout all of these themes and wider concepts, a key aim for our teachers is to not only challenge our pupils but to ‘wow’ them. We want our students to be inspired to research, to think critically about people and events, and enjoy learning all the weird and wonderful things that have led to the world we live in today. Not only will these skills and knowledge help them to navigate their ways through life but importantly we hope it instils a lifetime enchantment with History.

Find Us Elsewhere

Contact Us

Billesley Primary School
Trittiford Road
Billesley
Birmingham
B13 0ES
0121 675 2800