Although not widely taught before it was introduced into the Ks2 curriculum for 2014, this new area of study has the potential to be one of the most exciting to teach. Probably taught in Year 3 to develop some chronological sequence to our British history studies, this topic offers lots of great opportunities to explore two major historical concepts, change and continuity. It also allow us to keep posing the at all-important question; how can we possibly know what it was like so many years ago before man recorded his thoughts in writing. There is a wealth of visual and artefactual material available: we just need to make it more age-appropriate. It is a very hands-on topic but one that also encourages pupils to think about the spiritual side of life when man was not simply hunting, gathering and farming for survival. Our use of case studies of Star Carr, Skara Brae, Stonehenge, Danebury and Maiden Castle should bring this period alive and should answer the question how did these creators of these artists’ impressions know what to draw?
