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24 September 2014
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Worldwide Press Releases



16.06.03

History students concentrate excessively on a few key topics - such as the Nazis - says Charles Clarke


Charles Clarke, Secretary of State for Education, has warned in the July issue of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ History Magazine (on sale 17 June) that GCSE and A-level history students are failing to develop a broad sense of historical context.


In the exclusive interview with Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ History Magazine, Mr Clarke said he had been struck by complaints that pressures of exams and timetables were encouraging people to study similar topics at GCSE and A-level. He said: "A lot of people - people I respect - say that there isn't enough of a sense of timelime in history, so that pupils have too much detailed history of particular eras, and not enough of a sense of context for what happened."


"That's not simply an appeal to go back to dates and kings and that sort of thing, but it is saying by key stage three (ages 11-14) children should have a pretty good appreciation of history in this country, of Europe, and the context within which things happened. That doesn't work against the more detailed study, but is the context in which the study has to take place."


Mr Clarke did however rule out making history compulsory in schools beyond the age of 14. But he adds: "I would like to see history playing a bigger part in the (14-19 curriculum), I think history teaching is generally done well and I think it's important. I'm pretty sceptical about putting more requirements in the curriculum after the age of 14. If you cannot encourage students to want to study things at that age, it's difficult to force them."


The Education Secretary was recently reported as criticising the teaching of medieval history at universities. He maintains in Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ History Magazine that these claims were "ludicrous".


"I was trying to promote a discussion about the nature of universities in which I used the word `medieval' and this was suddenly (reported as) an attack on medievalism, or medieval history and so on, which is wrong. I didn't say it; I don't believe it."


Notes to Editors:
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ History Magazine is Britain's best-selling monthly history magazine. Launched in April 2000, it has a monthly circulation of 51,146 (ABC: Jan to Jun 2002) and is published by Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Magazines - a division of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Worldwide Ltd.




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