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Schools told to dump Churchill and Hitler from history lessons
Last updated at 09:37am on 13.07.07
Wartime hero: Winston Churchill
Even Winston Churchill no longer merits a mention after a drastic slimming-down of the syllabus to create more space for "modern" issues.
Along with Hitler, Gandhi, Stalin and Martin Luther King, the former prime minister has been dropped from a list of key figures to be mentioned in history teaching.
This means pupils may no longer hear about his stirring speeches during the Second World War, when he told Parliament that defeating Hitler would be Britain's "finest hour".
The only individuals now named in guidance accompanying the curriculum are anti-slavery campaigners Olaudah Equiano and William Wilberforce.
The omission of Churchill added to a growing row over Labour reforms to secondary education - the most radical since the national curriculum was introduced in 1988.
Critics warned traditional subject disciplines were being stripped of key content and used to promote fashionable causes and poorly-defined "life skills".
They said that while the two World Wars remain on the curriculum as broad topics the failure to specify teaching on Churchill - while naming other individuals - downgraded his importance.
The move was called "madness" by his grandson Nicholas Soames, the Tory MP.
"It is absurd. I expect he wasn't New Labour enough for them," he said.
Tory spokesman on children Michael Gove added: "Winston Churchill is the towering figure of twentieth century British history.
"His fight against fascism was Britain's finest hour. Our national story can't be told without Churchill at the centre."
Schools are also being told to tear up the timetable of eight lessons a day and introduce classes lasting a few minutes - or several hours - by mixing different subjects together.
Five-minute lessons on spelling, French or German could be "drip-fed" throughout the day.
The architect of the new curriculum, Dr Ken Boston, insisted traditional approaches had been "exhausted".
The slimline regime is being introduced amid concerns that teachers do not have enough time to ensure youngsters master the three Rs.
Key subjects such as history and science will be cut back to allow teachers to spend a quarter of the day helping pupils who struggle with literacy and numeracy.
At the same time, staff will be expected to introduce topics such as personal finance and Urdu aimed at preparing youngsters for life in the 21st century.
The new curriculum - introduced from September next year - precedes the introduction of "functional skills" tests in English and maths.
These are intended to counter criticism that 16-year-olds can score high grades at GCSE without mastering the three Rs.
The news follows a report from the think-tank Civitas warning that subjects are being hijacked by politicians to promote pet causes.
Deputy director Robert Whelan said: "It is almost as if the Government has taken the damaging trends highlighted in our report and ratcheted them up a notch."
However Schools Minister Lord Adonis said that even if Churchill was no longer named in the curriculum, his contribution to British life would still be covered.
"Nobody with any sense could believe that we could teach the Second World War - a statutory requirement - without covering Winston Churchill and Hitler," he added.
Lotteries to allocate school places could be extended across the country after an official adjudicator backed a pioneering scheme in Brighton.
Canon Richard Lindley ruled that ballots were a "reasonable means" of awarding places at over-subscribed schools.
They could now replace selection by catchment area, which is said to favour middle-class families able to afford homes near good schools.
Reader views (24)
From an American student perspective, a move like this has pro's and con's depending on how you look at it. Personally, I find it to be a bit odd. Education has been fundamentally the same throughout history; addition of information, not subtraction. New ideas which hold true today like nuclear energy, climate change, etc. may not necessarily be be around in another 20, maybe 30 years given the fast paced speed of the world. Forgetting those who laid down the foundation for countries is something that should not be taken lightly, as these men and women clearly had insight and wisdom that withstands the test of time. That being said, in the U.S. there is always some new education initiative coming along (though not necessarily this drastic). To me, it appears as re-wrapping the same gift over and over again, except this time it's in a new color; it's just a tactic to try and continue the invigoration of young minds. Perhaps a "new" stance on education will garner the attention of children. Instead of looking at all the con's, look at the pro's. Imagine how impressive a person will look at a job interview for a business when he says that he can speak Mandarin Chinese (far and beyond one of the hardest languages on the planet). As long as the foundations of how the world works are taught in the same manner, a child will pick and choose what he or she likes and the world won't turn upside down in one day. I do find it odd, but at the same time, strangely interesting.
- Michael, Washington, D.C., United States
Urdu?
honestly, the only reason I knew it was a languge was through the different languages the notices at schools were printed in!
I travel most of the year and meet people with a far better grasp of the English language - you should focus on that. Their grammar is impeccable.
All the french and German I learnt came usefull but I wish there could have been Spanish and Japanese thrown in.
Now you will teach children Mandarin but not about Churchill and Hitler? Enfoiré!
Since the government seems to be all for children then I shall homeschool my children and they shall learn everything (including those not modern enough for you).
- Loren, London, UK
This is the worst thing that I have heard in a long time. I am so disgusted that the government would take out the British hero of the Second World War. Life skills can be taught elsewhere, history is history and the longer we are here on earth, the more history there will be, so get used to it and teach the truth and the facts!
- Marnie Janzen, Vancouver, British Columbia
I think it will tragic to remove key historical figures Winstone Churchill from the curriculumin British learning institutions! Iam by no means British but I am totally against a removal of such historic figures in your syllabus in the interest of space considerations! Had it not been for Churchill's bravery and leadership during the war, there would be no education to talk about and certainly no Britain!
- Nicholas Mwibawa Sii, Monze, ZAMBIA
Honestly, I find the fact that people are entertaining the thought of pairing down the lessons of history extremely sad and alarming. It seems that, in desperation, the educational systems around the world are attempting to cater to the whims of children instead of giving them what they really need; structure and a healthy home life.
Doing this will effectively force the next generation to reinvent the wheel farther down the line. Is it not said that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it?! (sorry to restate things but it bears repeating.)
And, as a student myself, I can say that having these lessons repeated throughout my educational career had led to new insights about history that are constantly changing with regard to my experiences in life. Where will the future be without these lessons of violence and bravery!? I won't live to know, but I can live to try and stop it in some small way.
- Lisa, Canton, OH, USA
This is a great insult to the memory of Churchill, the key figure in British history who's great oratory skills helped raise morale of the British people in a time of desperate need.
Perhaps it is about time education had a shift to allow pupils to excel at what they are actually good at rather than what the government wants them to be good at.
- Victoria Cunningham, Birmingham, England
I think that it is an insult to the great man himself...what next; will they pull down his statue in Parliament Square to be forgotten forever?
As this is England our children have a right to know what sacrifices previous generations have made for our freedom, and this certainly includes our great leaders such as Churchill!
- Jay, London
More of the customary knee jerk reaction without reading the article on here - World War 2 remains a statutory subject in History. What has been dropped is the study of Hitler and Churchill in addition to the study of the WW2, all it means is that pupils won't have to sit through the same lessons twice.
- Mickey, Southam UK
The practical skills being proposed are desirable - I wish I'd learnt more about personal finance at a young age - but these topics should be in addition to, not replace, a "normal" syllabus.
- Stan, UK
How is this possible? New Labour back off!
- Georgie, London
The education of our children is our future. If England fails to teach them the truth, then goodbye England.
- Walter, USA
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
"Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to re-live it". And if ever there was a lesson that needs learning and remembering to the end of time, it's the way that a civilised country like Germany fell into evil under the Nazis, and how that evil was ultimately stopped.
- Nigel, London
Erm, sorry to spoil the party but none of these guys ever came up in my history lessons and I have A-Level history! I never studied anything more recent than the first decade of the 20th century. I'm not saying I wouldn't have been interested - indeed, I've done a fair bit of reading on the subject since - but my point is that we shouldn't delude ourselves into thinking that everyone has been studying WWII. I never studied either world war at any point during my formal education (which I still find bizarre). And on a personal note, Mark, I disagree - I'm studying ancient Egypt part-time and I find it much more accessible than much modern history. It's down to personality and personal interests.
- Suzanne, London
If the two world wars remain statutory topics how can Churchill or Hitler be excluded?
- Peter Haldane, London
I don't know about the rest of you but I think I'll be home schooling my child.
- Tobin, Andover
Hitler used the excuse that Britain was developing weapons of mass destruction to initiate the Battle of Britain. At the time, he was correct, as Gruinard Island, N.W. Scotland demonstates. Of course, it is also true that Hitler was developing similar weapons as well - heavy water etc. I trust that the similarities between Hitler/Churchill and Blair/Saddam surely means that any reference to Blair and Saddam will also be eradicated from the syllabus - this should, at least, have the effect of making the syllabus more popular!
- Jules, Leeds, U.K.
Ancient History, Romans etc should be dropped from the History syllabus prior to A-Level. Modern political history 1900c onwards is more interesting and relevant to our kids generation. It should include the latest conflicts such as the Gulf War I and II, the Balkans war and The Falklands war.
- Marc, Harrow, UK
How can WW2 be taught without discussing Churchill & Hitler? "Some bloke ordered his troops to invade Poland, some other bloke told him not to or there would be trouble. A lot of fighting, a lot of people died. The End." Lunacy.
- Sjh, London, UK
I think it sounds like a good idea to drop teaching about Churchill as this will surely come under teaching about WWII anyway.
A lot of these new subjects sound relevant to the modern world and will equip students for a well-balanced life. I wish I was been taught about managing money - it would certainly have come in handy! In this consumer society where so many people are in debt it makes sense for young people to learn how to budget.
- Becca, Kingston
Do we not realise that teaching kids about the Churchill and other great leaders is essential if we want to succeed in this world?If Churchill had given up with things got tough he would never have been prime minister at the time when his skill were needed most.
People complain about a lack of respect and how the youth of today don't know how to behave. Well if they don't learn about individuals such as Churchill they will never understand respect in anyway shape or form.
This is just another example of government education policy being totally wrong and misguided. Education should have input from all sections of society from academics to the average Joe on the street.
- Stuart, Dunstable UK
Funny because I learnt about debt management, healthy eating and the environment in Maths, Biology/PE and Geography.
Strange how in this day and age of rising Islamofacism that schools don't want to teach kids about Nazi-Facism and how the free world stopped it.
- Andy, London
Couldn't have said it better myself Roland. Really, how is that different from the situation at present?
- Jay, London, UK
Again it beggars belief! Fluency in Urdu will go down well in the shires, and I guess you don't need maths or science skills to flip burgers.
- Paul, London
...and after "graduating" from school they get jobs working in McDonalds while the more demanding thinking jobs go to immigrants with a much higher level of education.
- Roland, Basel, Switzerland
