Geography & History
At Thornton Primary School, we want our children to develop a genuine curiosity about the world around them and an appreciation of the people, places and events that have shaped our lives today. To support this, we use Oak National Academy to help deliver our Geography and History curriculum across Key Stage 2.
Through carefully planned and engaging lessons, children build their knowledge step by step, making connections between new learning and what they already know. Learning is designed to be meaningful, memorable and inspiring, helping pupils develop both a strong understanding of the curriculum and a love of learning.
In Geography, children explore their local area, the United Kingdom and the wider world. They learn about different environments, cultures, communities and global issues, while developing important skills such as map reading, fieldwork and geographical enquiry. We want our pupils to understand their place in the world and grow into informed, responsible global citizens.
In History, children discover the fascinating stories, achievements and experiences of people from the past. Through studying significant events, civilisations and periods in British and world history, they learn how the past has influenced the present and develop the skills to think critically about historical evidence and interpretations.
While Oak National Academy provides the foundation for our curriculum, we enrich learning through practical activities, educational visits, visitors, artefacts, local history studies and opportunities for discussion and enquiry. These experiences help bring learning to life and encourage children to ask questions, think deeply and develop lasting memories of their learning.
Our aim is for every child to leave Thornton Primary School with a strong understanding of the world around them, an appreciation of the past and a curiosity that will inspire them to continue learning throughout their lives.
How Parents and Carers Can Support Learning at Home
Families play an important role in bringing Geography and History to life beyond the classroom. There are many simple ways to support your child's learning at home:
- Encourage your child to complete some activities from the CREATIVE homework sheet and regularly look at the Knowledge Organisers for each topic.
- Talk about places you have visited together and encourage your child to use maps, atlases or online maps to locate them.
- Discuss local landmarks, environmental changes and current events happening around the world.
- Visit museums, historical sites, libraries and places of cultural interest whenever possible.
- Encourage your child to ask questions about family history and share stories from older family members.
- Watch documentaries, read books and explore websites linked to the topics being studied in school.
- Help your child recognise how geography and history influence everyday life, from the food we eat and the products we use to the buildings, traditions and communities around us.
By working together, we can help children develop a lifelong curiosity about the world, a deeper understanding of the past and a greater appreciation of the diverse communities that make up modern Britain and the wider world.