Intent

At Our Lady of Fatima, we believe that all children are historians in the making. Through our carefully planned and inclusive History curriculum, we aim to nurture each child's curiosity about the past, empowering them with the knowledge, skills, and critical thinking tools needed to understand their place in God's world.

Inspired by our Catholic mission and values, we aim for children to:

• Develop an understanding of history as a meaningful narrative that helps shape identity, cultural awareness, and empathy;
• Explore the rich tapestry of local, British and world history, and recognise how people’s lives - past and present - are deeply connected;
• Learn how to examine evidence, ask thoughtful questions, and build a respectful awareness of diverse cultures and perspectives;
• Understand that history is not just about facts, but about people—created in the image of God - with differing viewpoints, motivations, and experiences.

Our curriculum provides a structured progression of substantive knowledge (key facts, dates, people, and places) and disciplinary knowledge (how historians study and interpret the past), rooted in enquiry-led learning. We encourage children to see how the past continues to shape the world they live in and their role in building a more just and compassionate future.

Our approach celebrates each child’s God-given potential, ensuring they live, love and learn together through shared historical understanding and Gospel values.

Implementation

History is taught explicitly following a sequenced and knowledge-rich curriculum which reflects both chronological development and thematic enquiry.

Key features of implementation at Our Lady of Fatima include:

• A clear progression of substantive and disciplinary knowledge, with each unit building on what has come before;
• Opportunities for child-led enquiry, encouraging pupils to pose and investigate their own historical questions;
• A strong emphasis on historical vocabulary, reasoning, and evidence-based thinking;
• Meaningful cross-curricular links to RE, Geography, English, Art and more, deepening understanding;
• Embedding of Catholic Social Teaching and Gospel Virtues to explore themes such as justice, stewardship, human dignity, and the common good;
• Frequent use of high-quality historical sources, artefacts, timelines, maps, and visual media;
• Memorable experiences including local visits and expert visitors to bring history to life:

Examples include:

• The Black Country Living Museum
• Tamworth Castle
• Lapworth Museum (local area study)
• Wroxeter Roman City
• Inviting external speakers or theatre groups into school

Assessment in History is ongoing and used to adapt teaching so that all pupils, regardless of ability or background, can access the curriculum and flourish as historians.

Impact

By the time they leave Our Lady of Fatima, pupils are equipped with a broad and coherent understanding of the past, and the skills to think critically about the world around them. They are able to:

• Speak confidently using accurate historical vocabulary;
• Reflect on different perspectives and challenge assumptions through historical enquiry;
• Recognise patterns in history and apply those lessons to modern issues with empathy and wisdom;
• Demonstrate pride in their historical learning through high-quality written and spoken outcomes;
• Connect their understanding of history with their faith, recognising the dignity of all people and the shared responsibility to care for our common home.

Our pupils leave us not only with a strong foundation for future academic learning but also as thoughtful, informed citizens, ready to live, love and learn together in the light and example of Jesus Christ.