--- title: "History" url: "https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/curriculum/history" school: "English Martyrs Catholic Primary School (Litherland)" --- # History > #### *“The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future.”* > > #### - Theodore Roosevelt ### Our Goal At English Martyrs Primary School, we believe in providing a high-quality history curriculum accessible to all children, ensuring they know more, remember more, and understand more. Our history teaching helps pupils gain secure knowledge about significant people and events in Britain and the wider world. The curriculum is structured chronologically to build connections between current and previous learning. We focus on our locality to help children develop a sense of identity and understand how history has shaped their lives, using the local area to achieve curriculum outcomes. We aim to spark curiosity about the past and equip children with the skills to explore their interests. History lessons focus on working as historians, with many opportunities for enrichment through historical visits. Our goal is to nurture caring, responsible, democratic, and tolerant members of the community who can make a positive difference in society. ### How we teach History Our history planning carefully maps out the progression of knowledge and understanding through **"golden threads"** or **substantive concepts** that run through each year group and cover a wide range of topics. This approach allows children to revisit and build on previous learning, exploring content in increasing depth and complexity. #### **Substantive Concepts:** Key knowledge and skills are mapped out to ensure progression between year groups. For example, topics like the Liverpool waterfront are revisited in different years with increasing depth. Each new topic references the chronology of previous topics. The phrase "meanwhile elsewhere..." is used to connect historical events globally. Teachers use various teaching styles to develop pupils' knowledge and skills, ensuring lessons are accessible and challenging for all learners. Outcomes are regularly monitored to ensure understanding of key knowledge. In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), we follow the ‘Development Matters in the EYFS’ guidance. Children explore the past through their environment, family history, and stories, talking about past and present events in their own lives and the lives of family members. ### Impact Our history curriculum helps pupils make sense of the present by learning about the past. Children gain historical skills and knowledge, enabling them to progress through the curriculum. They learn to think critically about history, communicate ideas confidently, and evaluate and challenge views using various sources. Outcomes in history books demonstrate a broad and balanced curriculum and the acquisition of key knowledge. #### --- History Curriculum Map 346 KB [Open for printing](https://files.schudio.com/english-martyrs-catholic-primary-school-litherland/files/documents/History_Whole_School_Curriculum_Map_2025_-2026_(1).pdf) History Policy 190 KB [Open for printing](https://files.schudio.com/english-martyrs-catholic-primary-school-litherland/files/documents/History_Policy_2025-26.pdf) ### Related Blog Posts [![Image of A menu fit for an Anglo-Saxon peasant](https://files.schudio.com/english-martyrs-catholic-primary-school-litherland/imagecache/1440x880c/blog/IMG_2534(1).jpeg)](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/blog/2026-11-10-16-40-a-menu-fit-for-an-anglo-saxon-peasant) 10 November 2026 #### [A menu fit for an Anglo-Saxon peasant](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/blog/2026-11-10-16-40-a-menu-fit-for-an-anglo-saxon-peasant) Today we used Chatta to explain the diet of an Anglo-Saxon peasant. The children enjoyed using their oracy skills to explain each particular dish on the menu. [Continue reading](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/blog/2026-11-10-16-40-a-menu-fit-for-an-anglo-saxon-peasant) [![Image of Year 6 Western Approaches Trip](https://files.schudio.com/english-martyrs-catholic-primary-school-litherland/imagecache/1440x880c/blog/IMG_0013.jpg)](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/blog/2026-10-07-10-27-year-6-western-approaches-trip) 7 October 2026 #### [Year 6 Western Approaches Trip](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/blog/2026-10-07-10-27-year-6-western-approaches-trip) Year 6 enjoyed a fascinating day exploring Liverpool’s important role in the Second World War. We visited the Western Approaches Museum, where the children explored the original underground wartime naval headquarters. They discovered how Liverpool played a vital role in the Battle of the Atlantic,… [Continue reading](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/blog/2026-10-07-10-27-year-6-western-approaches-trip) [![Image of Ancient Egyptian trip to the museum](https://files.schudio.com/english-martyrs-catholic-primary-school-litherland/imagecache/1440x880c/blog/20260707_120421.jpg)](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/blog/2026-07-08-14-27-ancient-egyptian-trip-to-the-museum) 8 July 2026 #### [Ancient Egyptian trip to the museum](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/blog/2026-07-08-14-27-ancient-egyptian-trip-to-the-museum) Year 3 had a fantastic time at Liverpool museum. Our workshops were very interesting and we were able to handle anceint artefacts from thousands of years ago. [Continue reading](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/blog/2026-07-08-14-27-ancient-egyptian-trip-to-the-museum) [View All Posts](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/blog/index/tag:history) ### Curriculum - [Overview](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/curriculum/overview) - [Religious Education](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/curriculum/religious-education) - [Art and Design](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/curriculum/art-and-design) - [Computing Science](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/curriculum/computing-science) - [Design & Technology](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/curriculum/design-technology) - [English](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/curriculum/english) - [EYFS](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/curriculum/eyfs) - [Geography](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/curriculum/geography) - [History](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/curriculum/history) - [Languages (Spanish)](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/curriculum/languages-spanish) - [Mathematics](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/curriculum/maths) - [Music](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/curriculum/music) - [PE](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/curriculum/pe) - [PSHE/RSE](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/curriculum/pshe-rshe) - [Science](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/curriculum/science) **English Martyrs Catholic Primary School (Litherland)** School Lane Litherland Liverpool L21 7LX Tel: 0151 928 5601 ## Contact Details: 0151 928 5601 © Copyright 2023–2026 English Martyrs Catholic Primary School (Litherland) School & Trust Websites by [ ![Schudio logo](https://englishmartyrs.co.uk/img/logo/light.png) ](https://www.schudio.com/)