DCSF explains primary school history curriculum

Submitted by: Steadfast news correspondent, 10th Feb 10

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) was created in June 2007

Why are many English children receiving no lessons in their unique English history while receiving lessons in history such as that of the Egyptians?

This is the question that has been put to the Steadfast Trust by some of its supporters following contact that parents have had with the government's Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).

The Steadfast Trust believes that the young should be educated with the aim of promoting an interest and pride in English culture and history to inspire children by telling them of the deeds and achievements of English heroes and heroines, and the great achievements and positive contributions that English people have made to human knowledge over the centuries.

The Public Communications Unit of the DCSF has been very helpful in outlining the principles of the schooling system with regards to the subject of history.

It told parents:
The Government believes that it is essential that young people receive a firm grounding of the history of this country. Both GCSE and A-level history must include a substantial (minimum 25 per cent) element of British history and/or the history of England, Scotland, Ireland or Wales. However, there is a great deal of scope for teaching both aspects of European history and the history of other parts of the world.

It is positive to note that the Government recognises the importance of children learning about English history, and while teachers can teach history from other countries, there seems no reason why children shouldn’t be taught more than the minimum required.

The department added:
The new primary curriculum, to be introduced from September 2011, comprises six ‘areas of learning’, of which history forms part of historical, geographical and social understanding. In the early stage of primary education, children should be taught to find out about the lives of significant people and events from the past and the present, for example people such as explorers and inventors, events that are commemorated, and other events that are significant to the children’s own lives.

In the middle stage of primary, children should be taught to explore the different ways we can find out about the past and how to understand the evidence; they should be taught how significant events, developments or individuals and groups have influenced their locality, the UK and beyond in the recent and distant past; and they should be taught about the movement and settlement of people in different periods of British history, and the impact these have had, for example the impact of the invasion and settlement by the Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, Normans or more recent immigration.

In the later stage of primary they should be taught the characteristic features of, and changes within, two key periods of history that were significant to the locality and the UK. As well as British history, one of the periods studied could be taken from European or world history. They should be taught the effects of economic, technological and scientific developments on the UK and the wider world over time; and they should be taught to understand the broad chronology of major events in the UK, and some key events in the wider world, from ancient civilisations to the present day, and to locate within this the periods, events and changes they have studied.

Further information on the primary curriculum from September 2011 can be found through the government's publications at
HERE

The English have played major roles, not just in England, as great explorers and inventors but also as thinkers and radicals promoting ideas of freedom and personal liberty that have spread around the world.

Many modern events commemorate significant moments in our communal history and are of course essential to children’s lives, and it is heartening to know that English history is important. However with such few academic hours it is important not to focus too broadly on the wider world since this would relate little to young children.
The department continued by explaining that the National Curriculum is not prescriptive. However, it has a clear set of aims and principles and, for each statutory subject, it sets out the key concepts and skills and the essential content that must be covered during each Key Stage. Working within the statutory framework, teachers and head teachers have considerable freedom to plan a school curriculum that responds to the personal learning needs of their children, and to introduce new approaches to teaching and learning.

With teachers and head teachers having such freedom to plan school lessons, this offers parents a great opportunity in expressing the areas of history they feel would benefit their children.

For the Steadfast Trust, trustee Lynn Chorley suggest parents concerned about the teaching of history at their school should approach the head teacher or form teacher to discuss the matter.
"The school system is very open to parental involvement and welcomes all contributions and assistance so do get involved." she said. "By learning their own communal history you can encourage greater confidence and self-respect in the younger generation. Parents have the right to ensure that their child is properly educated and you can discuss the matter with your son’s/daughter’s teachers and the head teacher to make them aware of their/your feelings. Following this, if you are not happy with their response, you can write to the chair of governors of the school, then the Local Authority (LA) if you feel it necessary.
“We have as much right as anyone else to ensure that out children are taught positive aspects of their own cultural identity and history,” she added.