History

Through exploring history, our pupils begin to recognise the complexity and diversity of human experience, and understand more about themselves as individuals and members of society. A high-quality education in history is an integral part of preparing our children to live and work in the contemporary world; what they learn from history will influence their decisions, personal choices, attitudes and values.

In light of this, at St Stephen’s we aim to stimulate the children’s interest, curiosity and understanding about the past through our dynamic and exciting history curriculum. We aspire to achieve this not only through the topics we choose, but through the rich and in-depth opportunities provided for our pupils: in-class by our teachers, but also trips, thematic days and immersive experiences our pupils participate in throughout their school journey.

Through our approach to history, we strive to educate our pupils in fundamental historical knowledge and develop skills required as a history learner through a range of contexts and time periods, from The Stone Age to West London in the 21st Century (and everything in between). Linked to this, we have an emphasis on world history, covering a broad range of eras, figures and perspectives throughout our curriculum.

Enrichment Experiences

Vicious Vikings Workshop at St. Benedict’s School in Ealing

An amazing experience for some of our budding Year 5 historians!

 

Victorian School Workshop at Gunnersbury Park & Museum

The workshop gave our Year 5 children a feel for what it would’ve been like to be a Victorian school child. A fun and unforgettable experience, but the children are glad we are in the 21st Century!

 

The Great Fire of London & WW1 Workshops

Through drama and a range of fascinating resources, it gave our Year 2 and Year 5 classes an opportunity to immerse themselves in what it would have been like to live through these points in history.

 

Toys from the Past Workshop at Fulham Palace

Our Year 1 cohort had the wonderful opportunity to explore and play with toys from the past. Oh how they’ve changed! 

 

World Explorers’ Day 2022 – Notting Hill Carnival

From Nursery to Year 6, St. Stephen’s had the opportunity to learn about Notting Hill Carnival and its rich history. The children experienced steel pan workshops led by Mangrove Steel Band, ‘Mas’ making sessions, dance lessons and a carnival inspired lunch; with the big finale of a parade in the playground! The children are very excited about the prospect of actually going to Notting Hill Carnival this year!

 

Windrush 75

From Nursery to Year 6, St Stephen’s celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Empire Windrush’s arrival at Tilbury Dock, and the rich culture and heritage members of the entire Windrush Generation brought with them from the Caribbean all those years ago. The day started with a special, interactive assembly, then each class had a workshop, Caribbean food at lunchtime and then we finished the day with a celebration party in the Year 1 playground for everyone in our local community. Parents contributed to our celebration by making some delicious sweet and savory Caribbean food and St Stephen’s provided the punch! Year 3 took part in a Windrush Concert on Shepherd’s Bush Green along with other schools from the borough and performed an amazing dance. As part of our recognition of this incredibly special event, we also created a video of family members and friends of St Stephen’s who had a direct memory or a passed-down memory of this time. Watch the video below for highlights of this special day.