About the units
There are 18 units in this scheme of work: five for key stage 1 and 13 for key stage 2. Four of the five units for key stage 1 refer to specific year groups. The remaining unit is a bridging unit that can be used at the end of year 1 or the beginning of year 2. All the key stage 2 units are designed for use either with years 3 and 4 or years 5 and 6. Ways of adapting the key stage 2 units for other age groups are included in each unit.
The units are of varying lengths but each is designed to be completed in a term or less. Each unit is set out in the same way.
Units
6A,
6B and
6C contain the same introductory activities on migration and settlement and then each unit focuses on the particular experiences of the Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings.
Suggested timing and references to programmes of study
A sheet on the inside of the folder containing the printed version of these units shows the titles of the units and suggested timings and will be available online soon.
The tables below show which aspects of the key stages 1 and 2 programmes of study are covered in each unit.
Coverage of the key stage 1 programme of study
| Knowledge, skills and understanding |
Relevant units |
| 1a |
Place events and objects in chronological order |
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
17 |
| 1b |
Use common words and phrases relating to the passing of time |
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
17 |
| 2a |
Recognise why people did things, why events happened and what happened as a result |
4,
5,
17 |
| 2b |
Identify differences between ways of life at different times |
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
17 |
| 3 |
Identify different ways in which the past is represented |
4,
5 |
| 4a |
Find out about the past from a range of sources of information |
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
17 |
| 4b |
Ask and answer questions about the past |
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
17 |
| 5 |
Communicate in a variety of ways |
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
17 |
| Areas of study |
|
| 6a |
Changes in own lives and the way of life of family or others |
1,
2,
3 |
| 6b |
Way of life of people in the more distant past |
1,
2,
3 |
| 6c |
Lives of significant men, women and children |
4 |
| 6d |
Past events |
5,
17 |
Coverage of the key stage 2 programme of study
| Knowledge, skills and understanding |
Relevant units |
| 1a |
Place events, people and changes into correct periods of time |
6A,
6B,
6C,
7,
9,
10,
11,
13,
14,
15,
16,
18,
19,
20 |
| 1b |
Use dates and vocabulary relating to the passing of time |
6A,
6B,
6C,
7,
9,
10,
11,
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
18,
19,
20 |
| 2a |
Characteristic features of periods and societies studied, including ideas, beliefs, attitudes and experiences of men, women and children |
6A,
6B,
6C,
7,
8,
9,
10,
11,
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
18,
19,
20 |
| 2b |
Social, cultural, religious and ethnic diversity of societies |
6A,
6B,
6C,
7,
8,
9,
10,
11,
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
18,
19,
20 |
| 2c |
Reasons for, and results of, historical events, situations and changes |
6A,
6C,
7,
8,
9,
12,
13,
14,
15,
18,
19,
20 |
| 2d |
Links between main events, situations and changes |
6A,
6B,
6C,
7,
8,
9,
10,
11,
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
18,
19,
20 |
| 3 |
Recognise and give reasons for different representations and interpretations of the past |
6A,
6B,
6C,
7,
8,
9,
11,
14,
15,
16,
19,
20 |
| 4a |
Find out about events, people and changes from a range of sources of information, including ICT-based sources |
6A,
6B,
6C,
7,
8,
9,
10,
11,
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
18,
19,
20 |
| 4b |
Ask and answer questions and select and record information relevant to the focus of the enquiry |
6A,
6B,
6C,
7,
8,
9,
10,
11,
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
18,
19,
20 |
| 5a |
Recall, select and organise historical information |
6A,
6B,
6C,
7,
8,
9,
10,
11,
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
18,
19,
20 |
| 5b |
Use dates and historical vocabulary to describe the periods studied |
6A,
6B,
6C,
7,
8,
9,
10,
11,
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
18,
19,
20 |
| 5c |
Communicate knowledge and understanding in a variety of ways |
6A,
6B,
6C,
7,
8,
9,
10,
11,
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
18,
19,
20 |
| Areas of study |
|
| 7 |
Local history |
9,
12,
18 |
| 9 |
Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings in Britain |
6A,
6B,
6C |
| 10 |
Life in Tudor times |
7,
19 |
| 11a |
Victorian Britain |
11,
12 |
| 11b |
Britain since 1930 |
8,
9,
13,
20 |
| 12 |
European history - Ancient Greece |
14,
15 |
| 13 |
World history |
9,
10,
16,
19 |
Example long-term plan 1: general plan
This is an example of a long-term plan that uses the units in this scheme of work.
| Key stage 1 |
| Year 1 |
Unit 1 |
How are our toys different from those in the past? |
|
Unit 2 |
What were homes like a long time ago? |
| Year 1 or 2 |
Unit 3 |
What were seaside holidays like in the past? |
| Year 2 |
Unit 4 |
Why do we remember Florence Nightingale? |
|
Unit 5 |
How do we know about the Great Fire of London? |
| Key stage 2 |
| Year 3 or 4 |
Unit 6A |
Why have people invaded and settled in Britain in the past? A Roman case study |
|
Unit 6B |
Why have people invaded and settled in Britain in the past? An Anglo-Saxon case study |
|
Unit 6C |
Why have people invaded and settled in Britain in the past?A Viking case study |
|
Unit 7 |
Why did Henry VIII marry six times? |
|
Unit 8 |
What were the differences between the lives of rich and poor people in Tudor times? |
|
Unit 9 |
What was it like for children in the Second World War? |
|
Unit 10 |
What can we find out about ancient Egypt from what has survived? |
| Year 5 or 6 |
Unit 11 |
What was it like for children living in Victorian Britain? |
|
Unit 12 |
How did life change in our locality in Victorian times? |
|
Unit 13 |
How has life in Britain changed since 1948? |
|
Unit 14 |
Who were the ancient Greeks? |
|
Unit 15 |
How do we use ancient Greek ideas today? |
|
Unit 16 |
How can we find out about the Indus Valley civilisation? |
It is unlikely that this plan fully meets the needs of any individual school. This is only one model. It is up to schools to decide whether they wish to use this model in full or to adopt or adapt individual units or combinations from it, customised to the school's own circumstances.
Example long-term plan 2: using units with different age groups
This school has created its own long-term plan, adapting some of the units for use with different age groups.
At key stage 1, three units are taught to each year group but this is reduced to two for each year group in key stage 2 where the units are longer.
Where the programme of study at key stage 2 offers a choice, the school has opted to study the Romans, Ancient Egyptians and the Victorians. It also does a Victorian local study because there are many Victorian buildings in the vicinity of the school.
This plan meets the statutory requirements set out in the programmes of study for key stages 1 and 2.
Key stage 1
| Year 1 |
- Unit 1: How are our toys different from those in the past?
- Unit 2: What were homes like a long time ago?
- Unit 3: What were seaside holidays like in the past?
|
| Year 2 |
- Unit 17: What are we remembering on Remembrance Day?
- Unit 4: Why do we remember Florence Nightingale?
- Unit 5: How do we know about the Great Fire of London?
|
Key stage 2
| Year 3 |
- Unit 10: What can we find out about ancient Egypt from what has survived?
- Unit 6A: Why have people invaded and settled in Britain in the past? A Roman case study
|
| Year 4 |
- Unit 7: Why did Henry VIII marry six times?
- Unit 8: What were the differences between the lives of rich and poor people in Tudor times?
|
| Year 5 |
- Unit 14: Who were the ancient Greeks?
- Unit 15: How do we use ancient Greek ideas today?
|
| Year 6 |
- Unit 11: What was it like for children living in Victorian Britain?
- Unit 12: How did life change in our locality in Victorian times?
|
Example long-term plan 3: focusing on local history
This school has changed the focus of some of the units to enable the children to learn about local history.
For this reason Isambard Kingdom Brunel and castles are studied at key stage 1 instead of Florence Nightingale (Unit 4) and homes (Unit 2). In year 5, Unit 18 is used to link different periods in the history of the locality, and in year 6, Unit 20 has been amended to enable the pupils to study a significant local personality.
At key stage 1, three units are taught to each year group but, in most cases, this is reduced to two for each year group in key stage 2 where the units are longer.
Where the programme of study at key stage 2 offers a choice, the school has opted to study the Vikings, the Aztec civilisations and Britain since 1930.
The plan meets the statutory requirements set out in the programmes of study for key stages 1 and 2.
Key stage 1
| Year 1 |
- Unit 1: How are our toys different from those in the past?
- Unit 2: What were castles like a long time ago?
- Unit 3: How have seaside resorts developed and changed?
|
| Year 2 |
- Unit 4: Why do we remember Isambard Kingdom Brunel?
- Unit 5: How do we know about the Great Fire of London?
|
Key stage 2
| Year 3 |
- Unit 6C: Why have people invaded and settled in Britain in the past? A Viking case study
- Unit 10: What can we find out about the Aztec civilisation from what has survived?
|
| Year 4 |
- Unit 7: Why did Henry VIII marry six times?
- Unit 19: What were the effects of Tudor exploration?
|
| Year 5 |
- Unit 14: Who were the ancient Greeks?
- Unit 15: How do we use ancient Greek ideas today?
- Unit 18: What was it like to live here in the past?
|
| Year 6 |
- Unit 13: How has life changed since 1948?
- Unit 20: What can learn about recent history from studying the life of a famous person?
|
Example long-term plan 4: mixed-age classes
In schools where children of mixed ages are taught together, work in history may be organised in cycles over time. When planning individual units, learning objectives and differentiation strategies need to ensure that individuals and groups within the class can make progress appropriate to their age, maturity and previous experience.
Successful plans for schools with mixed-age classes are characterised by:
- units that have a range of expected outcomes to match age and ability;
- cyclical planning that provides opportunities for progression through the key elements and avoids duplication of historical content.
The structure of the units in the scheme that cover two year groups will be particularly useful for teachers of mixed-age classes.
Example plan 4
This school has mixed age classes and so operates a two-year teaching cycle. History is not always taught in chronological order but the teachers make sure that chronological understanding is developed by making explicit the connections between the units. In addition, teachers reinforce the children's sense of chronology through other subjects and to encourage this timelines are permanently displayed around the school.
At key stage 1, three units are taught to each year group but this is reduced to two for each year group in key stage 2 when the units are longer.
Where the programme of study at key stage 2 offers a choice, the school has opted to study the Anglo-Saxons, the Indus Valley and the Second World War.
Unit 6C on the Anglo-Saxons complements Unit 16 on the Indus Valley. Unit 18, which is studied in years 5 or 6, is used to draw together some of the children's prior learning by make links between different periods in the history of the locality.
The school has had to adapt some of the units in the scheme of work for use with different age groups.
The plan meets the statutory requirements set out in the programmes of study for key stages 1 and 2.
Key stage 1
| |
Year A |
Year B |
| Years 1/2 |
- Unit 3: What were seaside holidays like in the past?
- Unit 2: What were homes like a long time ago?
- Unit 4: Why do we remember Florence Nightingale?
|
- Unit 1: How are our toys different from those in the past?
- Unit 17: What are we remembering on Remembrance Day?
- Unit 5: How do we know about the Great Fire of London?
|
Key stage 2
| |
Year A |
Year B |
| Years 3/4 |
- Unit 16: How can we find out about the Indus Valley civilisation?
- Unit 6B: Why have people invaded and settled in Britain in the past? An Anglo-Saxon case study
|
- Unit 7: Why did Henry VIII marry six times?
- Unit 8: What were the differences between the lives of rich and poor people in Tudor times?
|
| Years 5/6 |
- Unit 14: Who were the ancient Greeks?
- Unit 15: How do we use ancient Greek ideas today?
|
- Unit 9: What was it like for children in the Second World War?
- Unit 18: What was it like to live here in the past?
|
|
