Gove’s new secondary curriculum - main features of the KS3 History proposals

I have summarised some of the main features of the new curriculum announced last week alongside a couple of questions and queries.

· A very British focused curriculum. The main purpose of
study is centred on pupils knowing how British history has developed since the
first settlers. It is supposed by doing this it will help pupils with the
challenges of today.

· Understanding the chronology and story of Britain is a
key part of the curriculum.

· A broad understanding and outline of World and
European History is to be taught alongside British history including the relationship
between the two. Topics include the French and Russian Revolutions.

· Some key historical words that pupils should learn and
explore in Key Stage 3 include: Empire, Civilisation, Parliament and Peasantry.

· Pupils will consolidate their knowledge by creating
their own narratives and accounts of the main events. This is definitely Simon
Scharma territory!

· The use of historical sources including their
strengths and weaknesses need to be taught and analysis of how historians use
them is to be explored.

· Each Key Stage, especially 2-3, follows on from each
other like a jigsaw. KS2 now covers the early Stone Age settler’s right up to
and including the Glorious Revolution. The KS3 course begins with Wolfe and the
conquest of Canada up until the fall of the Berlin Wall.

· Secondary school teachers will find the large parts of
their resources of no use as their period begins with the British Empire. Many
KS3 topics are now to be taught by primary school teachers instead, e.g.
Medieval, Tudors and Stuarts etc.

· Questions need to be raised about how primary school
teachers will cover all of the topics proposed in KS2. Will more time be
allocated to History at this level?