The Curriculum and Assessment Review has singled out GCSE history as requiring ‘significant review’. There have been calls to tackle the content overload and reduce content significantly, and the review discusses ways that this could be addressed.
As many of us know only too well, preparing for the very precise requirements of particular examinations has often stalled the great work done at KS3 in terms of developing disciplinary knowledge. Fortunately the government agrees.
And it’s not just disciplinary knowledge either. It is likely that the GCSE curriculum will be reformed to reflect the diversity of British history, including Black British and Asian history.
Local history is also mentioned in the government response – in relation to how local history and contexts can be used to teach history through the lens of where children and young people live. This builds on what is proposed for KS3 and primary history too. These key stages will also be helped to decide on what is really mandatory and what is not. A mistaken belief that the italicised advisory content has to be taught has led to far too much content being taught superficially in the meagre rations of time available.
Finally, given that very few history teachers want the return of coursework, it is unlikely that it will be reinstated
When will these reforms come into effect?
The draft national curriculum is due to be published in September 2026 for public consultation. GCSE History is scheduled for reform for first teach 2029 or maybe even 2030, while A Level History is scheduled for first teach 2031 or 2032. Exact dates are yet to be announced by the Department for Education (DfE).
What to look out for in the draft curriculum this month-4 key questions.
- How explicitly will the disciplinary skills be embedded across the curriculum?
- What content will be reduced at GCSE, and how will coherence be improved?
- How will the mandatory content be clarified even further?
- How will diversity at all key stages be exemplified and the depth and range of teaching resources be extended?
