In the UK, history is not taught as a standalone subject in the Early Years Foundation Stage (E.Y.F.S.). Instead, early historical concepts are embedded within the Understanding the World area of learning.

The focus is on developing early chronology, personal life stories, and an awareness of the past. 

How History is Taught

Rather than using formal lessons, educators build historical awareness through everyday routines, continuous play, and story time: 

• Personal Timelines: Children learn about their own history by talking about how they have grown since they were babies. 
• Family and Community: Children discuss their immediate family members, their roles in society, and special celebrations or cultural traditions. 
• Sequencing: Teachers encourage children to sequence events in familiar stories or recall what they did "yesterday" or "last week." 
• Exploring Artefacts: Children are given opportunities to look at and handle objects, photographs, or picture books from the past to compare them to modern-day items. 

Early Learning Goals (E.L.G.s)

By the end of the Reception year (the final year of E.Y.F.S.), children are typically assessed on whether they can: 

• Talk about the lives of the people around them and their roles in society.
• Know some similarities and differences between things in the past and now, drawing on their own experiences and stories read in class.