History at Mayfield is often the basis for our topic work. In Key Stages 1 and 2 we follow the National Curriculum Programmes of Study in which knowledge, skills and understanding are divided into five areas: Chronological understanding, Knowledge and understanding of events, people and changes in the past, Historical interpretation, Historical enquiry, and Organisation and communication. 

Teachers use and adapt the activities in the QCA schemes of work as the basis for lessons. These focus on investigating key questions such as ‘Why did Henry Eighth have Six Wives?’ or ‘How was life different for Children in Victorian Britain?’ Some key questions focus on a particular period in history, for example Ancient Egypt or Victorian Britain, whilst others are thematic, for example ‘How are our toys different from those in the past?’ some topics are based around a particular historical figure e.g. ‘Why do we remember Florence Nightingale?’

In the Foundation Stage history is taught as part of the Knowledge and Understanding of the World area of learning.

Teachers use a wide variety of hands on and literacy based activities to make learning history as fun and meaningful as possible. The school is very well resourced for the subject. Where possible, local history is included, for example looking for evidence of the Romans or Tudors in Cambridge. In addition, children get the opportunity to go on several history based field trips and have experts come in to run special days in school. For example Year 2 usually visit Hedingham Castle, Year 3 have a Roman day in school and Year 5 take part in a Tudor recreation day at Kentwell Hall.