Revising the Past: The Need for a Change in the History Curriculum in British Schools

"To remain ignorant of history is to remain forever a child." -Cicero

History is one of the most fundamental topics taught in schools around the world. Most countries organise the academic curriculum to teach students at a primary and secondary level the major historical events from their nation's past. Also, at times, world history is instructed to allow students to understand how things that are long done and gone have shaped the present for the better. Nonetheless, as is the case with most nations around the world, in the UK, there are many imperfections with the school curriculum; history included. There are some wrinkles that need to be ironed out to make the subject of history much more engaging and instructional for both the teacher and student. In today's article, we're going to explore the reasons why the history curriculum in British secondary and primary schools needs to be adjusted.

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What is the Value of Learning History at Schools?

Alike mathematics, the sciences, and English, history is a core subject at primary and secondary schools across the UK that needs to remain. However, there has been a lot of criticism surrounding the history curriculum in the UK which begs the question, what is the value in learning history? Does it really matter that much? Take a look at the following list to see five outstanding reasons why history is and must continue to be taught in schools:

1. History helps us understand other cultures around the world that are different from others. This results in a more thorough understanding of others and their ways of doing things.
2. History allows us to better understand our own society and the past problems and situations that have made it the way it is today. 
3. History helps us understand our own identities as a people and why our social group acts and reacts the way it does. 
4. History improves the reading and writing skills of students since there are a lot of biographies to read and essays/coursework to complete for teachers. 
5. History gives us insight into present-day problems that need to change and how they can be adjusted based on the solutions that were found in the past. 

By analysing all the previously mentioned reasons, even the greatest critiques of the GCSE and A-Level History courses can come to the realisation that they must stick around and that they have their merit.

What are the Reasons Why the History Curriculum Needs to Change?

Even though they have an unchangeable passion for the subject of history, it's worth stating that various history degree students at universities in the UK do not necessarily look back fondly on their history classes at a secondary school level. While some wish to believe that they have chosen to pursue history degrees because they were so deeply inspired by their history lessons in school, this is simply not the case. There are various reasons why the history curriculum provided by exam boards at various schools in the UK leave the majority of students feeling unsatisfied. But, why is that the case? Let's take a look at a few reasons why the UK history curriculum in British schools needs to drastically change to not only keep the attention of students but also to keep history relevant.

History is Taught in a Boring and Repetitive Way

When attending history classes at a primary and secondary school level, most students complain about how boring and repetitive the subject matter is. For instance, history class requires students to remember many dates and the names of historical figures just to pass exams. Unfortunately, memorisation is prioritised over interesting facts and events in British history.

Lack of Racial Diversity

Not only does the current history curriculum have very limited, if not entirely absent, discussions about racism and colonialism but fails to accurately emphasize the British Empire's role in the subjugation, oppression, enslavement and foul treatment of non-white ethnic groups in Western colonies and at home. The failure to include racial diversity and how minorities were harshly treated, alienate children of colour in the history classroom. Unfortunately, this allows for a certain air of superiority among white children that could potentially facilitate racism and prejudice. Since the UK, especially cities such as Manchester, Birmingham, and London, is a multicultural, melting pot, the problem of the lack of representation of people of colour in recent history is also something that needs to be addressed. Also, while we learn about the many white leaders and pioneers in America and Europe, the history curriculum covers little in terms of influential individuals like Malcolm X, Ibn Al-Haytham, Tipu Sultan, Angela Davis, and Alice Walker.

The British Curriculum is Far too Eurocentric

The first issue I want to address in this article is the Eurocentric and ethnocentric style of teaching in history classes. Even though World War I and World War II are two of the most visited topics in history classes in Britain, there is very little history taught about affairs outside of Europe. While both of these wars are extremely important topics in their own right, they are not enough to educate children about the histories and cultures of other countries from a non-Eurocentric perspective. Teaching a Eurocentric historical narrative promotes racial and cultural stereotypes, allowing children to internalize a dangerous dichotomy between ‘Us’ and the ‘Other’. Students in the UK rarely learn about the histories of countries within Africa and Asia, and when such countries are explored. Not only does this erase important historical narratives in Africa and Asia, it altogether excludes the voices of people of colour from the history classroom. All in all, students need to know that there are other places in this world than Europe!

Failure to Draw More Attention to Women in British History

Moreover, the history curriculum fails to accurately represent or even touch upon the historical contributions of women. The A-Level and GCSE History courses feature a dangerous separation within the curriculum between the history of men and the history of women. Not only does this encourage students to undervalue and ignore women’s role in history alongside and separately from men, but it also teaches children that women are simply not as important as men. For decades the history curriculum created by education officials favours a male-dominated historical narrative, where little is taught in terms of women’s contributions to world history, especially in terms of politics, medicine, science and the arts. Although there are many prime examples of women who have contributed positively to history in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe, the curriculum at key stage 3, currently only mentions a few "token women" such as Florence Nightingale, Mary Seacole, George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) and Annie Besant. To many parents, students, and teachers, this seems unfair since famous men are talked about constantly. The lack of representation of women and their involvement in pivotal historical events leave young girls believing that women did not play a valuable role in world history. 

What Can Be Done to Change the British History Curriculum in the UK?

In conclusion, the question that needs to be asked and meditated on is: what can be done to change the British history curriculum in schools across the UK? While there are many valid suggestions from experts, everyone involved and passionate about changing the history curriculum to match the times we're living in must attempt to broaden the subject matter taught to children at GCSE and A Levels. We need to leave a Eurocentric historical narrative and incorporate a larger, more accurate international context into the curriculum. One of the ways in which this can be done is by examining colonial empires, such as the British Empire in India, and critiquing colonial discourse in creating cultural and historical stereotypes about people of colour from ex-European colonies and in the Americas. The British Empire was far from perfect and students need to learn the good, the bad, and the ugly of past historical events in the United Kingdom. Also, on top of including more women in the curriculum, it needs to be compulsory to study African, Asian and Middle Eastern civilisations in the history classroom so that children can develop respect, sensitivity and a cross-cultural understanding. While all the aforementioned suggestions are extremely valid, they need to be seen and applied by education officials who can actually incite change. Only time will tell!