Long-term overview - World War 1 and 2 - Year 6

The Year 6 history curriculum provides an in-depth exploration of the profound impact that World War 1 and World War 2 had on Britain. Students delve into the causes of both wars, with particular attention paid to the origins of WW1, the reasons behind WW2, and the significant role Adolf Hitler played in the latter conflict. They also study the harsh realities of life in the trenches during WW1 and the influential role of Winston Churchill during WW2. The curriculum aims to understand how every town and city across the country was affected by these monumental events, both during the wars and in their aftermath.

To achieve a comprehensive understanding of these historical periods, the curriculum emphasises disciplinary knowledge such as chronology, causation, historical enquiry, interpretation, and significance. Students are expected to construct a coherent chronological narrative, use timelines to track cultural, technological, religious, and societal changes, and describe major historical shifts using specific terminology. They are encouraged to engage with a wide array of sources, pose valid historical questions, and appreciate the complexity of past societies. Through this approach, pupils learn to interpret different accounts of events, assess the reliability of sources, and understand the role of propaganda and censorship. The curriculum also challenges students to form their own opinions about historical events, such as the policy of appeasement at the start of WW2, and to critically evaluate whether it was a cowardly approach.