St Joseph'sCatholic Primary & Nursery School
History and Geography
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth"
(Genesis 1:1)
"Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations" (Deuteronomy 32:7)
History immerses pupils in unfamiliar worlds, and in the diversity and commonality of human experience across time and place. At the same time, history helps pupils to make sense of their own experiences, and of the world they inhabit. The study of history is complex and constantly evolving through new approaches, new lenses and new evidence. Every pupil is entitled to encounters with the richness of the past and the complexity of historical enquiry. (Ofsted Rich Encounters with the past: History Subject Report)
‘Professor Alistair Bonnett describes geography as ‘the world discipline’, an unwieldy yet utterly necessary and very human project to seek order and meaning in the diversity and complexity of the world. (The Geographical Association)
Humanities Development Plan 24-25
Kapow Overview
Humanities Intent, Implementation & Impact Document
Kapow Progression of Skills and Knowledge Documents
Kapow Guides for Parents and Carers
2019 Ofsted History Deep Dive
Year 4 History - Today we took part in a ‘Historical Sources Treasure Hunt’, where we looked at a variety of secondary sources about Alfred the Great, and assessed whether it was written with bias.
January 2025 - The year five class visited Somerset museum for a set of Tudor workshops. It fitted perfectly with the unit of work they have been doing in class. They made Tudor soap, learnt how to write with a quill and visited the Tudor Almshouse.
As part of Holocaust Memorial Week we learnt about a "Frank Foley". Frank went to St Joseph's and we found out more about the key role he played in WW2.
Marking Holocaust Memorial Day with a local link. We joined together to celebrate the life of Francis “Frank” Foley who worked for M16 and saved many Jews from death. He was a local man, who lived in Highbridge and came to St. Joseph’s school. A road in the town is named after him. The year five children created PowerPoints showing his legacy.
January 2025 - Year 4 are loving using our artefacts from the Museum Service, along with our history books from the library, to create fact files on Anglo-Saxon settlements.
Remembrance Day- Today we gathered together as a whole school community to take part in a special Remembrance Service and Silence to remember those who have lost their lives at war. Lots of children wore their uniforms from Guides, Brownies and Scouts out of respect too!
November 2024- One of our Reception Children and a Year 5 Pupil took part in the Burnham-on-Sea Remembrance Parade on behalf of St Joseph's. They joined the Parade of Ex & Current Servicemen/women and other local organisations and Schools to the War Memorial Hospital. They then laid a Poppy Wreath on behalf of the School and were fantastic representatives!
October 2024 - Year 4 had a fantastic Victorians workshop on Tuesday, where they experienced what life would have been like in Victorian schools. They dressed up as school children, followed traditional rules, practised writing on chalk boards, learnt how to sew, and even investigated Victorian artefacts! One child said “it was so special to figure out how Victorian children lived and behaved all those years ago. It was so fun, but we had to be very well behaved!”
October 2024- Some of the Key Stage 2 Classes have had some artefacts delivered from the Museum Service based around their units of The Vikings and The Victorians! The children will use these in their learning over the coming weeks!
September 2024- Year 5 have been exploring different photographic sources of evidence to deduce how they might be linked to The Vikings! They drew from prior knowledge and linked the photographs to trade routes. We then introduced the new learning of Viking Sagas and discovered the photographs were linked to Leif Erikson and The Saga of the Discover of Vinland!
September 2024- Year 3 visited The Museum of Somerset to learn more about The Iron Age! The children could use key historical vocabulary such as 'artefact' and 'archaeology' to explain about the knowledge they had of the Iron Age so far! They took part in re-enactment activities where they dressed up, had a go at coin striking and learnt about the Meare Lake Beads! The children linked their learning to their locality and discovered that Meare Lake was a popular production site for beads during the Iron Age!
September 2024- The Reception children have been asked to bring in photographs of their families and of them as babies! The children have been reflecting on early memories and experiences that they have had using their familiar pictures! They have been looking at the similarities and differences between then and now helping to develop their understanding of the world!