ABSTRACT
The advent of the National Curriculum (implemented firstly in England in 1988) saw some advance for archaeology in the teaching of history. All the curricula orders and guidelines in the different parts of the United Kingdom stressed the importance of using non-documentary evidence for history. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland this took the form of stipulating the use of artefacts, buildings and sites. It is only possible to study the whole range of evidence for the past by using written documents alongside visiting the historic environment to see archaeological remains and actively engage in historical enquiry. It is, however, noteworthy that the word ‘archaeology’ was only used in the section of the original history orders in England that dealt with ancient civilisations (e.g. ancient Egypt). There were some interesting differences between the different history curricula. The curriculum in England began with the Romans, with no mention of prehistory other than the example of the neolithic revolution at Key Stage 3. In this respect, the National Curriculum marked a retrograde step since the Ministry of Education pamphlet of 1952 which noted that most schools were including prehistory among the topics taught in first year of secondary school. In contrast, in Wales, perceived continuity with the ‘Celtic’ Iron Age led to a curriculum that began with prehistoric hunter-gatherers. Scotland, covering areas that lay mostly outside the Roman province of Britain, likewise began with the ancient world, although this would be
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Romans to the twentieth century, with increasing emphasis on more modern history at the higher age ranges of secondary education.
