The Prep School history syllabus at Beaudesert Park School, whilst closely aligned with the national curriculum for KS2 and KS3, encourages children to view the subject, less as a series of facts and dates, and more as on-going debate, across generations of curious minds, with the opportunity for them to add their own voices to the conversation.

In KS1 and the first part of KS2, children are given a broad understanding of the accepted chronology of historical events and are introduced to the idea of cause and effect, through a study of the ancient civilisations of Britain and the wider world. In more senior years, children explore comparison across time in topics such as Explorers & Inventors, Colonisation and Empire and Colliding Cultures.

Children’s learning is assessed through half-termly and termly topic assessments which take a number of forms from essay and source analysis to oral presentations.

Wherever possible, the department aims to make learning tangible, using primary sources like letters and artefacts, as well as field trips and re-enactments to encourage an appreciation of the practicalities, emotions and human experiences that run through our combined stories.