KS2 History Report Comments (Years 3-6)

History covers chronology, knowledge of people, events and periods studied, using sources as evidence, understanding that the past is interpreted in different ways, and asking questions about cause, consequence, change and similarity.

Below are 9 sample sentences for KS2 (Years 3-6): one strength and one next step for each of the 4 comment levels (Extending / Confident / Developing / Beginning), plus a tip for families. They are a small selection from the 119 history sentences in the full pack. Copy one, then add a detail only you know about the student.

Jump to: Extending · Confident · Developing · Beginning · Writing tips

Student name Pronouns

Fills in the name and pronouns on this page. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Extending E

Strengths

Studying Ancient Egypt, [Name] uses evidence from artefacts and tomb paintings to explain what the Egyptians believed about life after death.Lower KS2

Next step

[He/She/They] could extend this by researching how the Romans changed Britain and explaining which change mattered most and why.Lower KS2

Confident C

Strengths

Studying a society such as Benin or the Maya, [Name] can describe how it was organised and compares it confidently with Britain at the same time.Upper KS2

Next step

The next step is to use short quotations from sources as evidence when writing a historical argument, explaining what each one shows.Upper KS2

Developing D

Strengths

In history, [Name] is working on comparing two periods and, with some support, can name a similarity and a difference in how people lived.

Next step

Using a history timeline with dates marked on it will help [him/her/them] see the order of the periods studied and how far apart they are.

Beginning B

Strengths

Comparing pictures of an Anglo-Saxon or Viking home with a home today, [Name] is beginning to spot some similarities and differences.Lower KS2

Next step

Matching pictures of Roman, Anglo-Saxon and Viking objects to the right group of people will help [Name] build up knowledge of each period.Lower KS2

Support at home

Drawing a homemade timeline of a person or period studied in class helps your child put key events in chronological order.

How to write history comments for KS2 (Years 3-6)

Name the period and the skill together, for example placing the Romans and the Anglo-Saxons on a timeline using BC and AD. A skill such as chronology keeps the comment useful whichever unit your school teaches.
In Years 3 and 4, look at using a source to answer a question; in Years 5 and 6, look at judging how useful or reliable a source is and comparing different interpretations of the past.
Comment on historical explanation: can the child give a cause or a consequence, or a link between two periods? A next step such as asking 'how do we know?' of each source is concrete.

Watch out: Avoid comments that are only a list of facts recalled. Pair knowledge with a historical skill, such as explaining why an event happened, so families see how the child thinks about the past.

The scale describes how independently the child shows the learning. Extending suits independently, applies it in new contexts and explains reasoning; Confident suits usually and with occasional support; Developing suits sometimes, or with a model or word mat; Beginning names what the child does with adult support. Show the point through one piece of learning rather than writing the scale word itself.

What History covers

In these comments, history covers these behaviours:

develops a sense of chronology and places events and periods on a timeline
knows about significant people, events and periods studied
uses sources to find out about the past and understands that the past is interpreted in different ways
asks and answers historical questions about cause, change, similarity and difference

More UK primary subjects comments

How these sentences were made, and what has been checked: About these comments.