History GCSE is history as pupils opt for skills
By Graeme Paton Education Editor
463 words Publication date: 26 May 2009
Source: The Daily Telegraph Page: 11
(c) 2009 Telegraph Group Limited, London
HISTORY GCSEs are falling out of favour as pupils abandon traditional subjects in favour of new skills-style courses, research suggests.
Fewer than a third of students sat history exams last summer – the second-lowest number since Labour came to power. The disclosure, in figures published by the Conservatives, was made amid claims that mainstays of the curriculum are being marginalised in state schools.
More students have been put on to vocational courses in subjects such as information and communication technology (ICT), which often count for as many as four GCSEs, to boost schools’ positions in national league tables.
Last September, the Government also introduced diploma qualifications in five practical areas, including health, engineering and media, to rival GCSEs and A-levels.
The Conservatives claim examination entries for traditional subjects are increasingly being dominated by students from private and grammar schools, undermining the chances of comprehensive school pupils getting into top universities.
According to its figures, 35.4 per cent of 15 and 16 year-olds took a GCSE in history when Labour came to power in 1997. A total of 379,280 teenagers missed out on studying the subject.
But numbers fell to a record low in 2007, when 30.9 per cent of pupils took a history GCSE, meaning 453,679 teenagers left school without studying the subject properly. Numbers increased slightly last summer to 31 per cent.
The Conservatives claim the overall slump has left many children without a decent grasp of the past.
According to a 2007 report by Ofsted, the education watchdog, pupils’ knowledge of history is “often very patchy and specific; they are unable to sufficiently link discrete historical events to answer big questions”.
Michael Gove, the shadow schools secretary, said: “The number of children studying history beyond 14 has fallen to less than one pupil in three. The Government’s league tables encourage schools to push pupils away from harder subjects, even if they are of more long-term value.”
The Tories also criticised the Government’s new primary school curriculum, which was published last month, claiming it would “further water down history” for the youngest pupils.
Under plans, traditional subject headings will be removed in place of six broad “areas of learning”. History has been merged into new “historical, geographical and social understanding” lessons.
A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said: “All pupils must study history up to the age of 14. Students are offered a range of options for GCSE and history remains a popular choice for young people, both at GCSE and A-level.
“Throughout their school careers, pupils gain a wide knowledge of British history – from Roman Britain to the Second World War.”