“Unveiling the Forgotten Lessons: How British Schools Shape the Narrative of Empire”
So, we took a peek into the current national syllabus for the UK, and as of June 2023, the Key Stage 3 curriculum includes two statutory themes related to the Empire. The first is âIdeas, political power, industry and empire: Britain 1745-1901â. Topics contained within include the transatlantic slave trade, the Seven Years war, the American Revolution, the relationship with Ireland and âthe development of the British Empire with a depth studyâ
The second theme is âChallenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world, 1901 to the present dayâ. Which features topics such as the world wars, Indian independence, and the end of the Empire.
So, in theory, the Empire should be part of what pre-teens and early teens learn about in school. And in theory, there are plenty of chances to discuss all facets of imperialism, including Britain’s role in rather extreme crimes against humanity. But in practice this is not always the case.
In preparation for this video we asked a small sample of students, teachers and one retired headteacher about their individual experiences. In all cases, they replied that these themes and topics simply had not been touched. More than a concerted effort to sweep a shameful past under the carpet, it appears that history teachers do not have the time to fit these supposedly statutory themes into an already packed curriculum.
And yet, there is plenty of available resources for some teachers to develop lessons on our colonial past. For example, educational consultant Neil Thompson, through his company Key Stage History, provides a good sample of imperial topics which may have been taught by Key Stage 3 teachers as part of the statutory themes.
