Survey Results

The Historical Association has carried out annual surveys of the status of history in English secondary schools since 2009. These surveys have provided a set of evidence that has been widely used by academics, researcher, policy makers, school and department leaders alike. The evidence of our surveys which year upon year average between 400-500 responses have also played a vital role in Historical Association lobbying and campaigns.

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  • HA Secondary History Survey 2009

    Article

    Pupils are receiving fewer and fewer hours of history teaching across secondary schools in England according to research by the Historical Association. The specially commissioned report discovered that:Many children receive little or no history education after only two years of secondary school48% of academies report 11-12 year olds spend less...

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  • HA Secondary History Survey 2010

    Article

    Findings from the Historical Association survey of secondary history teachers 2010 Summary of key concerns about history teaching in English secondary schools *Full report attached below   1. The changing face of history teaching at Key Stage 3 (11-14): an emphasis on generic skills at the expense of subject knowledge and...

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  • HA Secondary History Survey 2010

    Article

    The Historical Association publishes a major survey into the state of history teaching in English secondary schools today and reports some very worrying trends. A significant number of teachers report serious concerns that history is disappearing in their schools, with senior managers assuming that the study of the past has...

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  • HA Secondary History Survey 2011

    Article

    Findings from the Historical Association survey of secondary school history teachers in England 2011Authors: Dr Katharine Burn, Institute of Education and Dr Richard Harris, Southampton University(Summary and Full Survey Report attached below)This survey is carried out each year to monitor and evaluate history teaching and access to history in our...

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  • HA Secondary History Survey 2012

    Article

    A little over a year ago Michael Gove announced the introduction of the English Baccalaureate (EBacc). It would transform education and rid schools and young people of ‘soft subjects'. However the real impact so far has been less than impressive. Those schools that already taught history well to GCSE continued...

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  • HA Secondary History Survey 2013

    Article

    For the last four years the HA sends to all schools and colleges teaching students in the 11-18 age range a survey.  The survey was sent out during the second half of the spring term 2013. Responses were received from 557 history teachers working in different contexts including middle schools...

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  • HA Secondary History Survey 2014

    Article

    ‘History for all' is a phrase that has been used by many, including politicians, and historical knowledge has long been viewed as an essential part of a citizens' understanding of Britain and the wider world. Unfortunately, the HA annual survey for 2014 has revealed that bit by small bit that...

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  • HA Secondary History Survey 2015

    Article

    *Full Survey Report attached below 1.1 Data on which this report is based This survey was conducted during the summer term 2015. Responses were received from 455 history teachers working in a wide range of different contexts, including sixth form and tertiary colleges. The rapid expansion of the academies programme...

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  • HA Secondary History Survey 2019

    21st April 2020

    Each year the HA carries out a survey into secondary schools to collect data on how history is taught and to uncover overall issues and concerns in education and teaching. The data is then analysed by teaching academics who are able to use the data from each survey to track...

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  • Historical Association Secondary Survey 2021

    22nd October 2021

    For the past 11 years we have been doing an annual survey into history teaching in secondary schools. This year our main focus was on the content of the history curriculum, examined with a particular focus on diversity. It looks particularly at diversity understood in terms of race and ethnicity,...

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  • History in schools 2017

    7th December 2017

    Secondary: GCSE history changes affecting KS3 students Recent findings from the Historical Association’s Annual Survey into History Teaching in English Secondary Schools, suggests that – despite the best intentions – changes to GCSE history are seriously affecting the amount of time given to history lessons at Key Stage 3.  The...

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  • Survey into History in English Secondary Schools 2018

    14th March 2019

    For the past ten years, the Historical Association (HA) has worked with the University of Oxford and Reading University to carry out in-depth research on the state of history teaching in schools. These reports have informed decision-makers at the highest level, notably government, Ofsted and examination boards. The reports also...

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  • Tracking the health of history in England’s secondary schools

    Article

    In 2009 the Historical Association conducted the first of what has become an annual survey of history teachers in England. Its aim was to get beyond bare statistics relating to subject uptake and examination success to examine the reality of history teaching across all kinds of schools and to map...

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