History
Our Vision
At White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School, we believe that, through the study of history, we can help our pupils make sense of their world and enrich their understanding of it.
Through our history curriculum we hope that pupils will gain knowledge and understanding of the past within our own locality, our country and the wider world. They will learn about the complexity of peoples’ lives, the diversity of societies and the relationships between different groups of people in the past.
Our history curriculum is designed and constantly adapted to meet the needs and interests of the children which is clearly seen in the development of the history within our EYFS settings as they use ‘Understanding the World’ from Development Matters to underpin their history teaching based on the children’s interests.
Within our history teaching we develop the essential skills and understanding which are the building blocks for later life, such as developing an understanding of the events which led to World War II and how we can learn from these or how the Anglo-Saxon influence on Dover and the surrounding areas can still be seen today.
We recognise that as a school we have chosen to teach history in a thematic way as opposed to following teaching history in a chronological order and this has been carefully decided basing our approach on not only what works for our children ‘sequencing in a meaningful way that enables children to make connections and progress across sequences of lessons, terms and years’ (White Cliffs Curriculum Intent 2022). But also, on educational research which supports our decisions to teach history in a more meaningful, logical, and psychologically appealing way (Smith 1980, Fabino 1992) which is supported by Bruner’s meaning-centred cognitive theory.
Making History Memorable
To support learning, the children at White Cliffs engage in memorable experiences to help with knowledge recall and to provide context to the events they are learning about. These activities have included creative tasks linked to art, dress up days, cooking activities and immersive workshops with outside visitors.
Year 3- Archaelogical Workshop
In Term 3, White Cliffs were approached by the Canterbury Archaelogical Trust regarding their incredible finds during the excavation and building of the new Beacon Centre in Bench Street. The team were keen to deliver a super time travelling workshop to our Year 3 children which involved them handling real artefacts and gaining knowledge about the archaelogical layers.
Year 6- Wartime Baking
Year 6 stepped back in time to discover what Christmas was like during World War II, using their Design and Technology skills to explore how families coped with strict rationing. They investigated the limited ingredients available during the war and learned how people used creativity and resourcefulness to make festive treats despite shortages. Year 6 put their knowledge into practice by making their own carrot cookies, carefully adapting recipes to reflect authentic ration-era techniques.
This hands-on project not only developed their practical cooking skills but also deepened their understanding of history, resilience, and the importance of making the most of what you have.
Year 2- Fire Pit Fun!
To support their understanding of the Great Fire of London, our Year 2 children spent some time at the fire pit on the school field. They experienced what fire is like and how quickly it can grow and spread; enhancing their understanding of the impact the fire had on London in 1666. The children observed the flames and used their senses to describe the fire. This then supported them to write their diary entries from the perspective of Samuel Pepys.
Year 3- Ancient Eygpt
The children explored what life would have been like in Ancient Eygpt by completing many creative activities, such as mummifying apples, making traditional papyrus and building 3D chambers from inside a pyramid. 
Year 3- Stone Age Day 2025
The children enjoyed dressing up in Stone Age-inspired outfits, which helped them immerse themselves fully in the theme. Throughout the day, they took part in a range of activities including cave painting, making paints from natural materials, and even trying out Stone Age-style shelters. Stone Age Day was a great success and sparked a lot of curiosity about life in prehistoric times. We have another one planned for Year 3 this year.
Cross Curricular Learning
At White Cliffs a lot of our history teaching is further explored and deepened within other curriculum subjects. English lends itself brilliantly for children to explore what life what like for people during different time periods and allows the children to present their knowledge and understanding in a creative way.
Year 5- Titanic
The children in Year 5 have engaged in lots of different creative writing activities to deepen their knowledge and learning about the Titanic. They have written postcards from the perspective of someone on board the historic ship and written short journals about what life would have been like depending on their wealth and status, discussing food menus and cabins that would have been available. These tasks were a fantastic way of both furthering their knowledge but also showcasing how much the children have learnt and can recall about their Term 3 topic.
Key Stage 1- significant people
Within Key Stage 1 the children explore a range of significant people linked to the key historical events or time periods they are studying. In Term 2 Year 1 explored Guy Fawkes and the gunpowder plot, learning who he was and the decisions and schemes that he planned. In Term 3 Year 2 compare 2 influential women from history during their 'superheroes' topic; Florence Nightingale and Edith Cavell. The children learn facts and timelines for each significant person and then compare the two, dicsussing the impact that both have made on modern day nursing.
Fact files are used across both year groups to support the children's research and knowledge about significant historical figures. Here are some examples from both year groups that have been recorded during Term 2 and 3.
Year 5- Mayans
Year 5 the children explore ancient Maya by conducting research about the different gods and beliefs. Within their English lessons they used comprehension texts and different historical sources to gain information about different gods and then presented their findings in a creative way.
Year 4- Ancient Greece
Year 4 used role play and speaking and listening skills to freeze frame the events of the battle of Marathon. The children acted as different roles and enjoyed reenacting the battle scenes together. Once freeze frames were completed, their teachers created a mini comic-strip retelling in which the children were able to recall dates, place names and events from the historical battle.
Year 3- Tudors
In Year 3 the children explore the Tudor period and the reign and life of King Henry VIII. The children's learning is further enhanced during their English lessons where they wrote invitations to royal feasts and researched all 6 of King Henry VIII's wives.
Local Trips and Visits
White Cliffs is incredibly lucky to have a wide range of historical sites nearby to visit and enrich our history curriculum. Each year group plans and explores a different local area site and the children are exposed to a rich range of historical trips and visits during their time at our school.
Hampton Court Palace- Year 3
The last 2 years we have been incredibly excited to include a trip to Hampton Court Palace within our Year 3 curriculum. During Term 2 the children learn about the Tudors and the life of King Henry VIII. The trip allows the children to fully immerse themselves into the world of King Henry VIII, exploring his royal residence and previously we attended a workshop all about a Tudor Christmas.
This year, Year 3 explored the rooms and grounds of the palace and took part in a workshop about the Tudor Kitchens. This reinforced their in-class lessons where they discussed the menus and foods that would have been on offer during the Tudor period and the differences in offerings depending on your wealth and status.
Dover Castle
As a school we look at Dover Castle every day, we see it when we come into school and when we go out on the playground; the castle looks down on our school family. That is why we try and visit Dover Castle as much as we can to learn about its important place in our local history.
During Year 2 the children are introduced to Dover Castle. They learn the correct terminology for different parts of the castle building and compare it to Walmer Castle. The children explore the timeline of our castle from who first built it and the key historical events that it has played a huge role in.
In Year 6 the children explore the castle further, looking at its importance during WW2 and the war time tunnels. The children visit within the autumn term and explore the underground hospital and the control room. They discuss the significance of the castle's coastal positioning and the impact and role this had during WW2.
At the very end of the 2024 Summer Term, White Cliffs were very lucky to be invited to explore Dover Castle's brand new Under Siege exhibition and learner centre. The children were very excited and even got to act out an attack on the castle. They even wrote their own article which was featured in the Autumn Issue of the 'Back to School' magazine.
Kent Life- Year 6
To further enhance their learning of WW2, Year 6 visited Kent Life. The children were transported back in time to the 1940s, stepping into the shoes of evacuees and learning what life was really like during the Second World War. The day was packed with hands-on activities and immersive sessions. The children explored authentic wartime homes, discovered how families coped with rationing, and even tried their hand at making do and mending- creating their very own rag rugs.
The experience allowed them to deepen their understanding of their topic but also developed a real appreciation for the sacrifices made by previous generations during this time period.
National Events & Celebrations
At White Cliffs we celebrate many national events, often with whole school assemblies and in-class activities. The calendar of events are earmarked at the beginning of each year and are celebrated throughout the whole school.
Lest we forget- Remembrance Day 2025
Our Year 6 children guided us through a whole school assembly to mark Remembrance Day. They shared reflections about why remembrance matters and led us in beautiful songs that they had practised especially for this occasion.To highlight the importance of Remembrance day, each class took turns to lay a wreath at our school cenotaph. This simple but powerful act showed our gratitude and respect for those who gave so much for our freedom.
Black History Month
Black History Month is celebrated every year at White Cliffs. During this time, all classes research and explore different significant black figures from history, such as Matthew Henson who was studied across the whole school last year. This year we worked with our music curriculum and followed a calendar of black composers, listening to a different musician each day in October.
The month allowed the children to celebrate and appreciate inspiring black composers, reinforced by Term 2's 'Composer of the Term' being Scott Joplin, a famous american composer. Additional black historical figures werealso explored within different year groups linked to their topics studied. 
VE Day 2025
On May 8th 2025, our school came together to mark a very special occasion — VE Day 80, celebrating 80 years since Victory in Europe Day, when World War II ended in Europe. It was a day filled with history, learning, creativity, and fun, all wrapped in a red, white, and blue theme!
To kick off the celebrations, children and staff dressed in patriotic colours, bringing the school to life with a wonderful wave of Union Jack pride. The atmosphere was vibrant as our playground and classrooms were decorated with bunting, flags, and wartime-inspired displays. One of the highlights of the day was when the whole school gathered outside to create a giant human “VE” — a powerful and moving tribute captured from above. The children stood proudly in formation, symbolising unity and remembrance in a truly memorable way. Throughout the day, classes took part in a variety of activities to help them connect with the spirit of VE Day.
