Learning in the Early Years through Local People and Places: developing historical concepts in the Early Years Foundation Stage

Using the local environment as a starting point for historical learning in EYFS not only helps young children engage and make learning meaningful and relevant, but also helps them develop a strong sense of identity. Working in and through the local children begin to see how their immediate environment, such as their school locality, where they live and often their personal family history fits into the bigger picture - the ‘how and why' people and places came to be. These firm foundations and later historical learning allow children to make the wider connections to national and global events as well as developing a ‘coherent chronological narrative' as outlined in the National Curriculum (2014). Such learning can also go on to develop and promote community cohesion both in and outside the school...