At Thorncombe St Mary's CE Primary Academy, we aim to inspire children's curiosity about the past and develop a lifelong interest in history. Through an ambitious and engaging curriculum, children explore the history of Britain and the wider world, developing an understanding of how the past has shaped the present.

As they progress through the school, children build their knowledge of significant people, events and civilisations while developing key historical skills such as chronology, historical enquiry, interpreting evidence and comparing different periods in time.

History learning is carefully planned so that children regularly revisit and build upon their previous knowledge, helping them to remember key learning over time and make meaningful connections between different periods in history. We encourage children to consider how historical events and significant individuals have influenced the world we live in today.

Wherever possible, learning is brought to life through high-quality texts, educational visits and our local area. For example, children visit Lyme Regis to explore the life and discoveries of Mary Anning and investigate Thorncombe and the surrounding area to identify how places have changed over time. These first-hand experiences help children to make meaningful links between the past and present, bringing history to life and deepening their understanding.