“Our Island Story”: Refocusing the History Curriculum in England

Dr Dean SmartUniversity of the West of England, Bristol

The Schooling System in England

Age Phase National Curriculum Years

4-11 Primary (KS1-2)

1-6

11-14 Secondary (KS3)

7 - 9

14-16 Secondary (KS4) GCSE

10-11

16-18 A levels 12-13

Curriculum Inheritance

Little Arthur’s History of England

http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/la.html

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=U4YpgPDv9Rh-8M&tbnid=hwn2wHm0tdi8pM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservatives.com%2FOurTeam%2FMembers_of_Parliament%2FGove_Michael.aspx&ei=JtujU6HdMqmg0QWlwoDgDQ&bvm=bv.69411363,d.d2k&psig=AFQjCNFs4qSSgHGV-FvpMSbBIWP1jph2NQ&ust=1403333701726033

Our Island StoryHenrietta Marshall 1905

Our Island Story.Children’s history of Britain , from the time of the Romans to the death of Queen Victoria, became an instant classic.Repeatedly reprinted up until its ‘final’ edition in 1953. Reprinted by Civitas in 2005

http://www.civitas.org.uk/islandstory/sample.htm

History Wars

New

• Curriculum for primary• Curriculum for lower secondary• Examinations for upper secondary:

16 year olds18 year olds

• Models of schooling (Academies and ‘Free Schools’)

• Teacher Standards

Narrative or skillsand concepts?

Infant School

Bloom's Taxonomy (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001)

Versions 1-4 Version 5

British History 1066 - 1485

the development of Church, state and society in Medieval Britain 1066-1509

1485 - 1750 the development of Church, state and society in Britain 1509-1745

1750 - 1900 ideas, political power, industry and empire: Britain, 1745-1901

1900 – Present

(Including a study of the Holocaust)

challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day

(Including a study of the Holocaust)

A local study A local studyBritish history from before 1066

A turning point in European History A unit about a non-European society from its own perspective

at least one study of a significant society or issue in world history and its interconnections with other world developments

National Curriculum

1990 version 11995 21999 32007 42014 5

Subject Strands (v3)1 Chronology

2 Knowledge and Understanding of History

3 Interpretations of History

4 Historical Enquiry

5 Organisation and Communication

Key Concepts (v4)1 Chronological Understanding

2 Cultural, Ethnic and Religious Diversity

3 Change and Continuity

4 Cause and Consequence

5 Significance

6 Interpretation

Key Processes (v4)

1 Historical Enquiry

2 Using Evidence

3. Communicating about the Past

UK population: Ethnic Origin 2011

African/Black British/ Caribbean 3%

Asian/Asian British 8%

Mixed/Multiple 2%

White* 86% (48.2m)

(*of which: White British) 80.5% (45.1m)

Other 1%

Larkin 1977

Grey et al (2000:63) Grey et al (2000:63, detail)

Brooks et al (2003b:31, detail)

‘talking heads’

.

7/7 2005

Clare (2003a:80 and 81) Double page spread.

multiethnic group discusses the Transatlantic Slave Trade:

Trade 5%

Japan 6%

Racism 3%

World Wars 6%

Crusades 7%

Exploration 1%

Class/Wealth 2%Historical Skills 2%

Religion 1%Great Exhibition 1%

Politics and Democracy 3%

International Cooperation 3%Atom bomb/Japan 3%

Holocaust 13%Transatlantic Slavery 21%

Empire 23%

Smart (2004:35)

Olaudah Equiano: