This is deeply depressing on many scores: it appears to be basically a white ruling class, Little Englander view of history as mainly great men and women, kings queens and government- as taught circa 1960?
It ignores diversity, most of social history and culture and the wider world- and most developments in history teaching and cultural learning in the last 40 years.
It seems designed to put generations of children off history and to ignore completely the reasons we (including through GEM and its representatives on the Schools Council and Dearing review) advocated change and museum/ heritage content at various stages in the evolution of the NC. The evidence for all that is still there- and we can show the evidence for the benefits of what we in museums and heritage have done to inspire children and teachers since the introduction of the NC.
Perhaps the main issues we should concentrate on in our response are:
The importance of starting children off from the local and tangible (the current local history element) and certainly not from prehistory- the most remote stretch of history which museums and heritage organisations find most challenging to bring to life.
The proven success and stimulus of direct contact with the past and with the widest possible range of evidence-museums galleries sites photographs archives etc (as explicitly stated in the NC from the start)
We could also argue as I’m sure the Historical Association will that you can develop a sense of chronology and time (admittedly a problem with the old NC) without plodding through the whole of political and ‘national’ history.
We should also be prepared [if it goes through] to provide a massive amount of CPD for (probably demoralised) teachers, as we did when the NC was first brought in- then the challenge was dealing with among others ancient Greece, Rome, Aztecs, Benin, China etc!
We will have a crucial role to play in bringing large tracts of British history to life for children at KS1-3 so they still want to do History at KS4 and stay interested for the rest of their lives.
John
From: List for discussion of issues in museum education in the UK. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jane
Sent: 07 February 2013 14:55
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Draft National Curriculum online
Exactly my first thoughts Neil!
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2013 2:52 PM
Subject: Re: Draft National Curriculum online
I presume it isn't only me who glanced over that document and wondered how on earth teachers are going to cover the quantity of KS2 stuff in any meaningful way.
And how well 6-7 year olds (KS1) are actually going to be able to cope with 'concepts such as civilisation, monarchy, parliament, democracy, and war and peace that are essential to understanding history'
On 7 February 2013 14:42, Willis, Josephine (ACS, Cultural Services) <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
History may not be compulsory, but the reorganisation of how it should be taught up to KS3 in a chronological order opens new potential all round, not only for the subjects we are used to promoting but also new historical periods.
Jo Willis
Senior Museum Learning Assistant
The Commandery
Sidbury, Worcester, WR1 2HU
From: List for discussion of issues in museum education in the UK. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lesley Walker
Sent: 07 February 2013 13:04
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Draft National Curriculum online
Thanks for sending this out to everyone Liz. Sadly no compulsory history for 14-16 year olds.
Museums should especially note - no Victorians at KS2!! and hopefully the six wives could be finally put to rest as well ...
Heritage Learning and Interpretation
Woodbridge IP12 1HL Suffolk UK
On 07/02/2013, at 12:21 PM, Liz Denton wrote:
The new draft documents for England has just been made available
As the DfE website states
It makes for very interesting reading ,,,,,,particularly at KS2 History...
Museum Development Officer - East Yorkshire & Northern Lincolnshire (Monday - Thursday)
Museum Development Yorkshire
York Museums Trust
St. Mary's Lodge,
Web: www.yorkmuseumstrust.org.uk
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