Previous National Curriculums

The last revision of the National Curriculum was in 2014. The Historical Association has played a crucial role in campaign and development. In this section you will find a record of previous revisions of the National Curriculum for history and some resources that were written in response to those curriculums.

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  • Nutshell

    Article

    This edition of 'Nutshell' discusses 'The future of GCSE history'.

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  • Past Forward: A vision for school history 2002-2012

    Article

    The Historical Association held a major conference on history education at the Cherwell School, Oxford on Saturday 28th September 2002. Entitled 'Past Forward: A Vision for School History 2002-2012', it was a celebration of recent trends in history teaching and a chance to reflect critically on where history education needs...

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  • Past Forward: Introduction

    Article

    The Historical Association held a major conference on history education, at the Cherwell School, Oxford on Saturday 28th September 2002. Entitled ‘Past Forward: A Vision for School History 2002-2012’, it was a celebration of recent trends in history teaching and a chance to reflect critically on where history education needs...

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  • Past Forward: University history and school history

    Article

    Recent trends in university history University historians have little incentive to discover what goes on in school history classrooms and many disincentives, as pressures of work mount and the ogres of university management point to the overwhelming need to improve, or sustain, current Research Assessment Exercise grades. History is rarely...

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  • Past Forward: Keynote address: fulfilling history's potential

    Article

    How much is it possible to love a subject? “I get so excited about my next history lesson” wrote Peter in December, “that I find myself dreaming about it before it happens”.1 How much is it possible for a teacher to love a subject? You love it so much that...

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  • Past Forward: Print and electronic resources

    Article

    It does not need a prophet to see that a more dynamic relationship between print and electronic media is both a need and a possibility for the next ten years of school history. At the moment, however, history is a book-based subject. Books matter. Teachers use them and are keen...

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  • Past Forward: Interpretations of History

    Article

    The internet revolution has accentuated the need for critical thinking about different interpretations of the past and has also generated a huge and exciting range of possibilities in terms of web-based sources and interpretations. Most teachers are now familiar with the many excellent websites that are designed to support school...

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  • Past Forward: History, Citizenship and Identity

    Article

    History teaching is inextricably associated with values and ideology. This paper argues that if history is to remain a vibrant element of the curriculum in the future, then history teachers will have to meet a number of specific challenges. Central in this respect is the issue of history’s unique contribution...

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  • Past Forward: History and ICT

    Article

    ICT in History has made tremendous leaps forward in recent years, although it needs to be said that these advances do not necessarily represent the day to day experience of every history department. Perhaps the most notable development is in the ICT skills of teachers. The great majority of teachers...

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  • Past Forward: Historical significance

    Article

    I recently came across the following in a Sunday newspaper: The Government is expected to announce a major overhaul of mathematics teaching in the next few days and it will be writing to employers and teaching bodies to ask how the subject can be ‘made more relevant to the twenty-first...

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  • Past Forward: GCSE History

    Article

    This summer was the thirtieth in which I have worked as an Examiner in History for 16- year- olds. This is a really sad confession, but I think it at least might allow me to offer an insider’s perspective. What follows is a consideration of the issues confronting GCSE history...

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  • AS & A2 History

    Article

    My complaints about the new AS/A2 specifications have been reported elsewhere,1 but below I outline my main concerns regarding the new examination system, which I see as a missed opportunity to introduce a 16-19 History curriculum that meets the needs of young people in the twenty-first century. The Curriculum 2000...

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  • Past Forward: History for all

    Article

    This paper takes four premises for granted: (i) that a coherent, motivating, demanding historical education is essential for all citizens in today’s society. This is not a luxury, it is a burning necessity in the interests of social inclusion, human rights and the preservation of democracy; (ii) that the present...

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  • History's future: facing the challenge

    Article

    Trevor Fisher argues that pressures on our subject are now so intense and multi-faceted that a wider coalition is necessary if history is to fight back. Our difficulties are compounded, he suggests, by a lack of consensus and by acute lack of knowledge about school history among those who produce...

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  • Move Me On 110: Confused by the Key Stage 3 Strategy

    Article

    This Issue's Problem: Winston is confused by the Key Stage 3 Strategy.

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  • The hidden crisis in GCSE History

    Article

    Joining the debate launched in the last edition, John Dixon argues that in relation to competing subjects, history has become harder. He believes that this could be reviewed without loss of standards. He highlights what he sees as a perverse situation of conflicting trends: on the one hand, practice in...

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  • Why we must change history GCSE

    Article

    A head of steam for change in GCSE history has been building for some time now amongst history teachers, heads of history, advisers, teacher-trainers, researchers, consultants and all who regularly engage in debate about history teaching and learning. All those who read widely, share their practice, experience many Key Stage...

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  • Content restricted and maturation retarded? Problems with the post-16 history curriculum

    Article

    Mike Tillbrook examines the impact of the new AS and A2 courses, raising several serious concerns. He explores problems for effective and rigorous assessment as well as implications of the new course structure for the quality and range of historical learning. Critical of new restrictions in content, he suggests that...

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  • Nutshell

    Article

    This edition of 'Nutshell' discusses spiritual development.

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  • New opportunities for history: implementing the citizenship curriculum in England's secondary schools - a QCA perspective

    Article

    In September 2002 Citizenship becomes a completely new subject in England’s secondary schools. Jerome Freeman, Principal Officer for History with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) — the authority responsible for advising the British government on curriculum content and qualification standards in England - outlines QCA’s view on the connections...

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