2025/2026
Summer 1
Year 3/4 - Law and Power (1154 - 1272)
Key points
- Henry II is considered one of the key figures in developing a legal system in Britain.
- He wanted judges to travel around the country to ensure laws were being followed.
- Thomas Becket, who was a friend of Henry's, was made Archbishop of Canterbury. However, they had a serious disagreement about how laws should be followed in the country.
- The Magna Carta was an important document signed during this time that said the King was not above the law.
The children will build on their knowledge of British history with the Vikings and Anglo-Saxons by moving onto the development of laws within the country beyond those groups of settlers. They will understand the significance of Henry II and his role in the formation of the legal system in Britain. The key historic concepts of law, democracy and monarchy will be reinforced here to help the children understand these abstract ideas. Students will have the change to look at continuity and change within this period of history and compare it to life now.
Year 5/6 - Industrial Revolution
Key points
- The Industrial Revolution was a significant period in the development of Britain.
- Factories and mass production became more widespread.
- The iron and textile industries surged during this period. The invention of the steam engine also proved pivotal.
- Not everyone benefited from this time, with many still living in poverty and facing dangerous working conditions.
Following on from the units on the British Empire and Britain's role in the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the students will now understand how the Industrial Revolution further changed their country. By building on previous units related to Britain, the children will be able to identify the continuity and change evident throughout this next crucial period in history. Cross-curricular links will be made with Geography in making reference to the lives of people in urban and rural areas during this time. Key concepts to be focussed on for this unit will include society, urbanisation and power.