History

We believe that history helps children to understand the world around them by finding answers to questions about the past. Our history units form part of a balanced and ambitious history curriculum tailored for the children of Wellsprings.

Children will learn about their own place in history by studying periods in history and historical figures, as well as ‘continuous units’ that link a development over time, e.g. transport. We want children to be inspired to wonder about the great vastness of our historical timeline, ideas that have changed the world and where they, as individuals, fit into this.

To ensure this is relevant to all of our children we study a broad range of history and historical figures that includes a range of significant people and events from a range of communities and cultures.

Our 3 ‘Big Ideas’

At Wellsprings we have 3 ‘Big Ideas’ in history. These are the substantive concepts that we work on as we move through the school. Each of our ‘Big Ideas’ feed into our history curriculum.

Wellsprings’ Historical Concepts

We teach children to use our Wellsprings’ historical concepts to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame historically valid questions and create their own structured accounts. Our 3 ‘Big Idea’s’ run throughout the Historical Concepts.

Learning Resources KS1 and KS2

Below are some links to helpful learning resources for KS1 and KS2. Please explore these resources to widen your knowledge of history and the historical concepts you are learning about in school.

KS1- Primary History teaching resources

KS2- Primary History teaching resources

History in the Early Years.... Understanding the world

Within the Foundation Stage at Wellsprings Primary School we encompass the EYFS Framework and its specific area known as 'Understanding the World' to build the foundations for historical minded thinking. We provide the children the opportunities to develop a sense of self and think about their own histories, as well as commemorate key events, which helps children to engage in wider historical concepts. We look at the past and present and begin to develop historical language relating to time and changes within the world around us.

There are a number of ways to support your child in doing this, for example, by talking about the past and family timelines, looking at changes of growth and development over time such as how you have changed since you were a baby? and also by looking at different celebrations and traditions you may be involved in.

Wellsprings History Updates

History Week-November 2024

We have had a fantastic 'History Week' across our school, celebrating a range of historical periods with each year group having a trip and or visitor, including 'The Magic Lantern' Workshops about Tudors, School life featured in Art, and the Great Fire of London! The children also went on visits to Wellsprings Community Chapel, Year 5 visit to Hampton Court and visits to Taunton Museum just to name a few!

We also ran a history competition and a number of children won a prize for excellent history work. Not only this, but we had fantastic information sent in from our local community, sharing memories of Wellsprings which has helped to build our 'Wellsprings Timeline'.