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‘Sir, what was coal?’ Do schools teach about the history and culture of Wales well enough?
Why is teaching Welsh history important?
When I was a deputy headteacher in a Cardiff school, I accompanied a group of pupils to the Rhondda Heritage Park as part of a ‘reward’ trip organised by a local charity. After an interesting tour of the mine, one of the children turned to me and asked if we used to eat coal! This was a wakeup call – how well do we teach children in our schools about the history of Wales, in particular the history of the local area? In a nutshell, without coal most of Cardiff would not have developed, and yet these 21st century children knew nothing about it.
What is happening in our schools now?
It’s very rare that during our inspection work we find schools that teach pupils about the history of their local area well. Most younger children do not know why their particular town or city was established, or the history of a more rural area.
The same applies to the culture of an area or Wales as a whole. Ask them to name famous Welsh people and most children often draw a blank after Gareth Bale, a few international rugby players and Sir Tom Jones (not necessarily because of his distinguished singing career, but due to his recent television appearances).
Prominent figures in Wales, including Welsh Assembly Members Sian Gwenllian and Suzy Davies, and Welsh historian Dr Elin Jones, argue the case for stronger history curriculum for Welsh pupils.
In 2015, Dr Elin Jones, who wrote a report on the subject for the Welsh Government, said that pupils were being ‘deprived’ by not being taught about history from a Welsh perspective. Sian Gwenllian AM argues that there has never been a real focus on Welsh history in the curriculum in Wales and that most pupils in Wales learn more about the history of England than of their own country and area.
During a recent Welsh Assembly debate, the call for every school pupil in Wales ‘without exception’ to be taught the history of the country was backed by Assembly Members.
Are they right?
Our inspection findings show that in many cases she has a good point. Children can recognise pictures of the wives of Henry VIII and know about the Great Fire of London, but on the whole know very little about the Rebecca Riots or the last invasion of Britain at Fishguard. Older pupils often know more about the history of other countries, for example Nazi Germany or the USA, than their own country.
Other countries such as Canada and New Zealand place a strong emphasis on schools teaching about the history of their own country.
Exciting opportunities to teach more Welsh history
With the introduction of the new curriculum for Wales, there is a fabulous opportunity for schools to re-evaluate their history curricula and to look at incorporating local and national history as an integral part of their work.
The draft curriculum guidance recognises that learners should have the opportunity to develop their identity through exploring questions of culture, language and belonging in their locality and in Wales. This would provide them with an understanding of the diverse histories, cultures, values and heritage of modern Wales.
The draft guidance also states that schools should teach Welsh history within the context of its ‘contribution to the United Kingdom and the wider world’.
But will things change?
There are some experts who are still sceptical about the impact that this will have. Professor Martin Johnes of Swansea University feels that the national Welsh angle may get lost in favour of local or well-known British or global examples and, as a result, there is no guarantee that curriculum reform will lead to any more Welsh history than is currently the case.
So it will be down to individual schools to ensure that teachers give Welsh history a prominent place when they begin to plan for change. This will help to ensure that the next generation of children living in Wales have a sound knowledge and understanding of the rich history and culture of our great nation.
Next steps
In summer 2020, we’ll be publishing a thematic report evaluating how well schools currently teach pupils about the history and culture of Wales. This will include an accurate assessment of current practice in maintained schools across Wales. Importantly, the report will include examples of excellent practice, which will help other schools to plan this aspect of the new humanities Area of Learning Experience.
To receive this report next year and other thematic reports, register at www.estyn.gov.wales/register or follow us on social media.
For further information on this topic, here are some extra resources:
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