In this History video, teachers are supported in helping pupils understand that there are multiple ways of looking at the past and that interpretations are an essential part of historical study.

The video explores the different forms interpretations can take, including written accounts, media, artefacts, monuments, replicas and reconstructions. Teachers are given strategies to help the children consider why interpretations were created, the influences behind them and how evidence supports their conclusions. Guidance is provided for addressing challenges, such as a preference for simple answers or difficulty in explaining differing viewpoints. Practical ideas, including comparing interpretations and creating their own, help the children recognise that history can change as new evidence emerges.

This video is part of Kapow Primary’s History skills videos, building pupils’ understanding of continuity and change across time.

See more of our Key stage 2 History scheme of work and our Mixed-age History scheme of work.

• History, Year 6, Lesson 5: How do different interpretations shape our understanding of the Sikh Empire?
• History, Year 5/6 (B), Lesson 5: How do different interpretations shape our understanding of the Sikh Empire?