The History curriculum at MBMS

The history curriculum at Marden Bridge is designed to inspire pupils’ curiosity about the key events and people that have shaped Britain and the wider world. We want our children to ask questions about how societies have developed and gain an understanding of significant events which have shaped the world in which they live.

Over time, our children are taught to develop the ability to think critically, weigh up evidence and make their own reasoned judgements and appreciate the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.

Our curriculum is structured chronologically in order to embed the themes of change and continuity across both key stages. In KS2, pupils will learn about the Ancient Maya and Indus Valley societies before moving onto the study of the Anglo-Saxon and Viking struggles for the kingdom of England. In KS3, they learn about the development of British society from the time of the Norman Conquest up to the end of the First World War.

Throughout, we engage with primary sources, texts created by professional historians and make use of creative learning strategies making cross curricular links with the arts. We also focus on developing pupils’ explanatory writing skills in order to allow them to analyse and make judgments about key historical questions.

In Year 7, we also cover aspects of the National Curriculum for Citizenship, studying the political system and how citizens participate actively in its democratic systems of government. We aim to develop a sound knowledge and understanding of the role of law and the justice system in our society and how laws are shaped and enforced.