This article reports on the findings of an investigation into the tensions perceived by students aged 14-15 studying Ancient History in England, between their interest in the ancient world itself and the status of Ancient History as a curriculum subject. We use Young's distinction between Powerful Knowledge and Knowledge of the Powerful as a…

History teachers, teacher-researchers, government agencies and history education academics in England often report that students are frequently incapable of producing complex, polythetic or developmental narratives over long time scales. This lack of an overview tends to result in deficiencies in their application of the key concepts of the…

The teaching of history has attracted more controversy and media attention than any other subject in the ongoing reform of the curriculum in Scottish primary and secondary schools, "A curriculum for excellence." This gives head teachers increased powers to decide on the curriculum as long as it satisfies four general capacities rather…