History is a lively and hands on subject at the Abbey Junior School. From the Ancient Egyptians to World War II, we take it all on. Through the study of artefacts, lent to us by Reading Museum, History is brought to life in a meaningful way. The girls learn to understand the chronology of events both in Britain and around the world from an early age.
We start in Nursery and Reception by talking about the way our parents and grandparents lived and handling the toys they may have played with.
By the time the girls have moved into Year 1, their knowledge and understanding of the world is wide enough for them to study Houses and Homes through time and spend the Summer Term learning about Seaside holidays in the past. In Year 2, the girls study the Normans and go to see the marvellous replica Bayeux Tapestry in Reading Museum.
Trips to Reading Museum for hands on activities are organised to aid our history studies at all stages of the Junior School
By Year 3, the girls are developing a real understanding of chronology and are ready to take on the Romans in Britain and subsequent invaders and settlers. A trip to Bath is a great way of learning about the building power of the Romans.
In Year 4, we visit The British Museum to learn about the Ancient Egyptians and we spend a term discovering what everyday life would have been like for them. We then zoom forward in time to the Tudors and visit Hampton Court to learn about the life and court of Henry VIII. The Year 4 girls are very excited before their overnight stay at a real Elizabethan Manor House - Ufton Court, complete with priest holes and a Tudor ice – house. Here we learn how rich Tudor people lived and later we compare it with the misery of the living conditions of poor people in Tudor Times.
By Year 5, the girls are becoming more proficient at the study of sources and are ready to take on The Victorians. One of the highlights of the year is to take on the role of Victorian schoolchildren at a Victorian schoolroom. They experience what it is like to wear the dunce’s hat or the back straighteners and they may even feel the swish of the cane for small misdemeanours. During Year 5, they are ready to do their individual study of the history of their own locality. At the end of Year 5, they move on to look at the Aztec civilisation of Central America in the context of voyages of exploration.
In Year 6, the girls are given an overview of History in their study of sources and historical terms. The last main topic of the Junior School is a study of Britain from the 1930’s, incorporating World War II, particularly concentrating on the experiences of children at this time. A major part of this study is the examination of artefacts and the study of interviews with eye witnesses.
The school’s excellent ICT facilities are very useful for accessing historical websites and sources from all over the world. There are also many opportunities to truly get under the skin of a character from history by acting in one of our many productions on a historical theme. Drama is a meaningful way of bringing History to life!
We have just completed a pilot scheme involving online workshops from the National Archives and are the first primary School in the country to do so. The girls access a facilitator at the National Archives through their computer in our ICT suite.