Our Intent: Building Knowledge, Shaping Thinkers

At Corinthian, we believe that a knowledge-rich curriculum is the key to unlocking critical thinking. We don't just "encounter" history; we master it. Our curriculum is built on the principles of cognitive science, ensuring that children gain a deep, well-sequenced understanding of the past.

We prioritise the acquisition of powerful knowledge. Research shows that the more children know, the faster they learn. By the time our pupils leave us, they are "culturally literate"—possessing a sophisticated understanding of the people, events, and societies that have shaped our world.

Our History curriculum is designed to:

• Secure Long-Term Memory: Using high-quality materials to move knowledge from the classroom to the child’s permanent toolkit.

• Bridge the Gap: KS1 introduces vital concepts and vocabulary that act as building blocks for the more complex historical studies in KS2.

• Challenge Expectations: We provide all children with demanding, age-appropriate content that inspires a thirst for learning.

Our Implementation: The Science of Learning

We deliver our history curriculum through a highly structured model that ensures consistency and academic excellence across all year groups.

1. Knowledge Organisers & Work Booklets

At the heart of every unit is a Knowledge Organiser. This document maps out the essential facts, dates, and vocabulary children need to master. In KS2, this is supported by bespoke Work Booklets featuring rich, challenging texts and diagrams. This approach removes the guesswork and ensures every child has access to the highest-quality information.

2. The Power of Retrieval (Quizzing)

To ensure learning "sticks," every lesson begins with a Retrieval Quiz. Based on the latest memory research, these quizzes ask children to pull information from their long-term memory, making their knowledge more secure over time. We use "spaced retrieval" to revisit topics from weeks or even months ago, ensuring nothing is forgotten.

3. Explicit Instruction (The "Knowledge Lesson")

We move away from "discovery-based" learning in favour of explicit teaching. Lessons are "chunked" into manageable sessions of direct instruction, followed by immediate opportunities for children to think, apply, and practice. This reduces "cognitive overload" and allows every child to progress confidently.

4. High-Tech, High-Impact Pedagogy

Our standardised classroom slide shows are enhanced with "Dual Coding" (using visuals alongside text) and Metacognition strategies. This ensures that even the most complex historical concepts are accessible, visualised, and deeply understood.

Our Impact: Powerful Knowledge for Later Life

The success of our history curriculum is found in our pupils' ability to speak like historians. Through our partnership with the Rainbow Trust, we ensure our teaching is quality-assured.

• Academic Readiness: Our children move to secondary school with a robust "schema" of historical knowledge, ready to tackle higher-level analysis.

• Vocabulary Excellence: Pupils can use and apply subject-specific terminology with confidence.

• Critical Analysis: By knowing the facts first, our children are empowered to question, debate, and understand the nuances of the past.