Wealden Times | WT163 | September 2015 | Education supplement inside

WT Education Supplement Sponsored by
Needless to say, there was a general wailing and
gnashing of prominent educational teeth. In a letter
to the Observer signed by the presidents of the Royal
Historical Society, the Historical Association, the higher
education group History UK and senior members of the
British Academy, Gove was condemned for drawing up
the curriculum without substantive consultation with
teachers and academics. They said that the curriculum
as it stood fails to recognise that learning about the
past of other peoples is “as vital as knowledge of foreign
languages to enable British citizens to understand
the full variety and diversity of human life”.
Mr Gove decided that a rethink was in order and the new
line-up, although it offers a good grounding in our own
history, is considerably less date-based, nationalistic and
prescriptive and, as such, has received a warmer welcome. Even
shadow education secretary, university history lecturer and TV
history presenter Tristram Hunt offered a qualified approval.
Out for Key Stage 1 are Newton, Brunel and co. and
in are the likes of Christopher Columbus, Neil Armstrong,
William Caxton, Tim Berners-Lee, LS Lowry, Rosa Parks
and Emily Davison. Out are the constitutional issues and
instead pupils will concentrate on general historical events
and changes, important figures and local history.
But the greatest changes are to Key Stage 2. Gone is
the original string of politicians and in their place is a
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...the greatest changes are
to Key Stage 2. Gone is the
original string of politicians
and in their place is a
considerably shorter more
varied company which
includes individuals such
as Charles Darwin...
parade
lead the
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