Humanities under threat in schools

THE importance of subjects like history and geography is being lost in the UK's schools, a leading headmistress said today.

The humanities are vital to a child's education, but fewer pupils are studying them to GCSE or A-level, according to Bernice McCabe, headmistress of the North London Collegiate School.

Addressing this year's Prince's Teaching Institute (PTI) summer school, Mrs McCabe said this should not be "inevitable" in a "target-driven environment" and that teachers have influence in how subjects are taught.

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Mrs McCabe, who is co-director of the PTI, told delegates: "English literature, history and geography are of fundamental importance and should be at the centre of every child's educational experience"

The PTI's summer school, which is being held in Cambridge, encourages teachers to rediscover their love of their subject.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said: "The thorough teaching of the traditional academic subjects – maths, science, history, geography, language, literature, music and the arts – is crucial for a broad and balanced curriculum.

"One of the main reasons we are not proceeding with the previous Government's planned primary curriculum is that it risked moving away from traditional subjects like these, potentially leading to an unacceptable erosion of standards."

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