Skip to content ↓

b. Curriculum Overview

HOW DOES KAPOW PRIMARY HELP OUR SCHOOL TO MEET THE STATUTORY GUIDANCE FOR HISTORY?

Kapow Primary’s History scheme fully supports Aston Rowant C E Primary School in meeting the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum for History (2014). It provides a structured, knowledge-rich and progressive curriculum that ensures all pupils - including those in mixed-age classes - receive their full entitlement.

Below is a clear breakdown of how Kapow aligns with statutory expectations and how it supports your school’s implementation.

1. Meets NC Requirement for a Chronological, Knowledge-Rich Curriculum

Kapow provides a sequenced structure that covers:

  • Changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age
  • The Roman Empire and its impact on Britain
  • Britain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots
  • The Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for England
  • A local history study
  • A study of an aspect of British history beyond 1066
  • Ancient Civilisations (Egypt, Greece, Benin, Maya, Baghdad etc.)
  • Non-European societies
  • Significant individuals from the past
  • Events beyond living memory
  • Lives of significant people relevant to Key Stage 1

Every statutory element is mapped across Cycle A and B so nothing is missed, even in mixed-age classes.

2. Ensures Strong Disciplinary Knowledge Progression

Kapow teaches and revisits the essential disciplinary concepts that the NC requires pupils to master:

  • Chronology

Understanding eras, timelines, sequencing and historical periods.

  • Historical Enquiry

Asking questions, investigating, comparing and gathering information.

  • Use of Evidence

Using primary and secondary sources, artefacts and images.

  • Interpretation of the Past

Understanding that history has multiple viewpoints.

  • Communicating Historically

Using historical vocabulary, writing accounts, presenting findings.

3. Provides Clear Progression from EYFS → KS1 → KS2

Kapow’s progression documents match Aston Rowant’s mixed-age rolling programme, ensuring:

  • Prior knowledge is revisited and built upon
  • Substantive concepts (empire, monarchy, invasion, trade, civilisation, democracy) become more complex over time
  • Disciplinary concepts grow in sophistication
  • Vocabulary progresses meaningfully across phases

4. High Ambition and Inclusion

Kapow supports Aston Rowant in meeting statutory expectations by:

  • Providing high-quality resources that ensure high expectations for every child
  • Offering adaptations and scaffolds so SEND learners meet the same ambitions
  • Supporting retrieval practice, ensuring long-term memory builds over time
  • Including diverse, representative content (e.g., Black History, global civilisations)
  • Making space for local history, which is a statutory requirement

5. Supports All Three NC Aims Through Clear Structure

The NC requires that pupils:

Aim 1: Know and understand the history of Britain as a coherent, chronological narrative

Kapow does this through structured sequencing, timelines and revisiting key periods.

Aim 2: Know the history of the wider world

Kapow includes Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, the Maya, Benin, Baghdad and early civilisations.

Aim 3: Understand historical concepts and methods

Kapow builds skills such as continuity/change, cause/consequence, evidence and interpretation — exactly as the NC requires.

 

NATIONAL CURRICULUM COVERAGE

Key Stage 1 National Curriculum Coverage

Kapow enables pupils to:

  • Develop understanding of the past and present
  • Learn about changes within living memory
  • Explore events beyond living memory that are nationally significant
  • Study the lives of significant individuals (e.g., Mary Seacole, Rosa Parks, Neil Armstrong)
  • Compare aspects of life in different periods
  • Learn about significant people, places and events in their locality

Lower Key Stage 2 National Curriculum Coverage

Kapow ensures coverage of:

  • Changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age
  • The Roman Empire and its impact on Britain
  • Britain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots
  • Developing understanding of chronology using timelines, eras and periods
  • Using evidence to draw simple conclusions about the past

Upper Key Stage 2 National Curriculum Coverage

Kapow ensures coverage of:

  • The Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for England
  • A local history study
  • A study of an aspect or theme in British history beyond 1066
  • A non-European society such as Benin, Maya, or the Early Islamic civilisation
  • Understanding of changes, continuity, cause and consequence
  • Evaluating primary and secondary sources
  • Developing historical arguments using evidence

How Kapow Supports Mixed-Age Cycles

Your Kapow Cycle A and Cycle B:

  • Ensure children don’t repeat identical content
  • Ensure all children encounter every statutory area
  • Cover every required NC era within a 2-year cycle
  • Allow children to revisit and deepen concepts even if topics change
  1. Kapow Units - History long term plans pdf

Cookie Policy