21st March 2013 9:00
By Blue Tutors
Some of the world’s leading historians have written a letter to the Times newspaper welcoming the introduction of chronological learning within history taught in schools including Professor David Starkey and Niall Ferguson. However, the Historical Association have said that the changes to the curriculum are ‘unworkable’.
Earlier this month, Michael Gove the Education Minister revealed his plans that children would be taught a complete history of Britain which will contain an emphasis on heroes and heroines of the British past. Pupils will be taught a detailed chronological history of Britain which will progress from the Stone Age right through to the end of the Cold War.
Although the historians admit that the intended adjustments will undoubtedly provoke controversy among those who are particularly suspicious of change, they are concerned that the history curriculum must be changed in order to promote its special role in the development of each student’s sense of identity. In order to gain a full understanding the modern society, pupils must comprehend the full narrative of history throughout every century.
Other historians have criticised the proposed changes believing that history is more complex and will create ‘a seven-year-old understanding of the Saxons, a 10-year-old understanding of the Middle Ages and a 14-year-old understanding of the industrial revolution’. They believe that there is no evidence to suggest that chronological teaching produces a better understanding of chronology.