History Curriculum

Where better to start learning History than at Styal Primary School with such a rich past right on our doorstep!

Quarry Bank Mill, built by the Greg family in 1784 is just a few minutes’ walk from our school which was built 200 years ago in 1823. We have excellent links with the Education Team at Quarry Bank Mill and we make great use of the National Trust Estate our school nestles in. A perfect place for a local history study.

Children start their journey finding out about the past the minute they start in Reception. Our History curriculum allows children to investigate the past through 'Big Questions' and they start to build a chronology of events as they move up through the school. A wide range of historical periods are studied as are significant events and significant individuals who have made an impact on different societies. In July 2023, we celebrated our 200 year anniversary. Sir Terry Waite opened the celebrations and recounted his time spent at Styal Primary School with treasured memories.

As part of our anniversary celebrations, the whole school took part in an immersive Victorian Day at Quarry Bank Mill finding out what life was like for children 200 years ago, looking at and analysing evdience, hearing stories, exploring artefcats and making comparisons in order for children to start to make their own judgements about what life was ike in the past. This is how we teach history at Styal because we know how important it is to give our children the oppoortunity to make sense of the world and develop a curiousity about the world they live in.