How people made a journey for their safety and/or for a better life.
Key Knowledge
Pupils will learn that throughout history humans have undertaken journeys to; keep themselves safe, to flee from danger and harm, or to seek a better life for them and their families. Aspects of this unit link to prior learning in Year 5 when pupils studied World War 2. The later parts of the unit consider more recent refugee crisis and how the world and the UK has responded.
Phase 1 Periods in history of journeys for Safety and/or for a better life
Part A – 19th Century - The Irish Potato Famine, also known as the Great Hunger
-Pupils will know that this period in history is outside of living memory.
-Pupils will know that Ireland was part of the British Empire in 1845 and it was not an independent country like it is today.
-Pupils will know that the Great Hunger started in Ireland in 1845 and lasted until 1852 resulting in approximately 1 million Irish people dying from starvation and related causes.
-Pupils will know that the risk of starvation was so great that at least 1 million Irish people left Ireland as refugees, many of them travelled to England and to America.
-Pupils will know that the Great Hunger was caused by a potato fungus disease (potato blight) which wiped out approximately 75% of potato supplies and that potatoes were the main food source (staple food) in Ireland at that time.
- Pupils will consider why the British government did not do more during the Great Hunger – Children will revisit learning from Year 5 and will draw on their knowledge of trade during that period, particularly how people were viewed as a commodity.
- Pupils will learn how many Irish people decided to leave Ireland rather than die of hunger.
-Pupils will learn how many travelled to New York for a new life. They will learn about Staten Island and how poor conditions were for Irish refuges in New York where they were often treated as second-class citizens.
- Pupils will learn how many Irish people travelled to the large cities of England, including Birmingham where there was a better chance of finding work. They will learn how the Irish refuges played a significant role in building Britain’s canals and railways. They will know that they were often labourers, referred to as a navvy or navvies.
-Pupils will know that many people in our cities have Irish ancestors.
Part B – 20th Century – World War 2
This learning revisits learning from Year 4 and World War 2.
-Pupils will know that World War 2 is within living memory for only a few people and that the numbers are decreasing each year.
Focus - Evacuation in Britain
-Pupils will know that at the start of WW2 the British government was worried that German bombers would bomb British cities and that millions of children were evacuated.
-Pupils will know that the government encouraged parents to send their children away from the cities to stay with adults in rural areas - these were known as the host families.
-Pupils will know that children who were evacuated were called evacuees.
-Pupils will learn about life as an evacuee and how difficult it could be. Children will read the story of Good Night Mister Tom.
-Pupils will learn that many children returned home after WW2 and will consider the impact on the children, host families and parents.
Focus – Fleeing Nazi Germany, plight of Jewsih people
-Pupils will learn about Adolf Hitler’s, and the Nazi Party, hatred of certain groups of people, including Jewish people.
-Pupils will learn how Jewish people were treated during WW2 and the Holocaust. They will learn about Anne Frank and her diary.
-Pupils will consider how this could have happened and why so few people did anything – pupils will consider whether history could repeat itself.
-Pupils will hear the stories and experiences of one Jewish family who ancestors fled Germany and live in Solihull – Rabbi Pink.
-Pupils will learn about journeys Jewish people took to escape Nazi Germany and will learn about Sir Nicholas Winton and the Kindertransport programme.
-Pupils will learn about the impact of the Holocaust, how the Holocaust is remembered every year on 27th January and the creation of Israel.
Part C 20th Centry – Post War Britain and the Windrush Generation
-Pupils will know that following WW2 Britain was keen to encourage people to live in Britain to help to rebuild the country.
-Pupils will know that the government encouraged people (for example through adverts) from the Caribbean countries promising them a new and better quality of life in Britain.
-Pupils will know that this group of people are often referred to as the ‘Windrush generation’ because the first ship which arrived carrying people was ship Empire Windrush.
-Pupils will learn that the ‘Windrush generation’ lasted from 1948 to 1971.
-Pupils will know that many people arriving left their homes with their entire family looking having been promised a new and better life.
-Pupils will know that the Windrush generation played an important role in rebuilding Britain after WW2, including supporting with the creation of public services such as the NHS.
-Pupils will learn that Britain, for some of the Windrush generation, was not everything they had been promised. Pupils will learn that many experienced racism and discrimination. Pupils will consider reasons why – this will link back to Year 5 history and Britain’s role in the slave trade.
Phase 2 - World today - Journeys for safety and for a better life
Pupils will think about our world today and journeys people as still taking for safety and/or for a better life.
Who is the war in Syria between, why are they fighting, how long have they been fighting? What is the plight of the people, why are they leaving, where are they going to, how are they getting there? How can their plight be compared to that of the Jews during WWII? What happens to the refugees when they arrive in their country of destination?
What could the world being doing to avoid people having to make such perilous journeys?