History Teaching (Hansard, 24 January 1991)

§ Mr. Straw
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the principal differences between the recommendations of the National Curriculum Council relating to history and his proposals now the subject of consultation.

§ Mr. Kenneth Clarke
The principal differences between the draft order for history, published on 14 January, and the recommendations of the National Curriculum Council relating to history, are set out in the table. The programme of study for key stage 4 and certain of the non-statutory examples illustrating the attainment targets have been adjusted to focus on the first half of the 20th century, with references to events from the turn of the century to the 1960s. These changes reflect my view that the law should not require teaching about particular contemporary events and people as part of the national curriculum history syllabus because of the difficulty of treating such matters with an historical perspective.

Summary of main changes

Programme of study for key stage 4 Page number of (a) NCC report (b) draft order

The preamble to key stage 4 model 1 indicates a focus on events from the turn of the twentieth century to the 1960s (a) 56

(b)36

Sub-sections on "British Democracy" and "International Conflict and Co-operation" now specify study should be up to circa 1960 (a) 59

(b)39

The supplementary study units in model 2 changed to set terms to the periods of study as follows: (a) 63

(b)42

—Russia and USSR 1905–1964

—The United States of America 1917–1963

—The Indian sub-continent 1914–1964

—Africa south of the Sahara 1900–1963

—The Middle East 1914–1967

—Latin America 1910–1962

—Japan 1904-mid 1960s

—China 1911–1966

In addition, the draft order includes a number of complementary changes to the non-statutory examples which will accompany the order but which do not form part of the national curriculum requirements.

§ Mr. Straw
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he proposes to lay orders relating to the national curriculum, history.

§ Mr. Kenneth Clarke
In March 1991.

Summary of main changes
Programme of study for key stage 4	Page number of (a) NCC report (b) draft order
The preamble to key stage 4 model 1 indicates a focus on events from the turn of the twentieth century to the 1960s	(a) 56
(b)36
Sub-sections on "British Democracy" and "International Conflict and Co-operation" now specify study should be up to circa 1960	(a) 59
(b)39
The supplementary study units in model 2 changed to set terms to the periods of study as follows:	(a) 63
(b)42
—Russia and USSR 1905–1964
—The United States of America 1917–1963
—The Indian sub-continent 1914–1964
—Africa south of the Sahara 1900–1963
—The Middle East 1914–1967
—Latin America 1910–1962
—Japan 1904-mid 1960s
—China 1911–1966