How local history can bridge the gap from teaching Understanding the World in the EYFS to teaching history in Key Stage 1

A year on from the 2021 Development Matters and it is now much clearer how the changes in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, with its emphasis on the role of communities, place, space and histories, has provided greater support for teachers and children to make the transition from the Understanding the World (UW) to history in Key Stage 1.

The policy changes contained within the 2021 documentation have enhanced the opportunities for continuity in teaching practices and greater scope for progression across all three primary phases. This has given greater significance to the learning about the past within the Early Years as it is now firmly established as the introduction to pupils’ history learning...