History curricula in England, Portugal and Spain: different contexts and similar issues

ABSTRACT

We examine the curricula in three different countries: Spain, Portugal and England. We first provide a description of the context and its curricular tradition. We then examine the aims, the historical and geographical scales, the programmes of study and the pedagogical approaches. We focus on secondary education, although age groups are not entirely coincident. There are apparent differences related to curricula development, critical debates, and priorities. We prioritise examining the role of teachers, the use of history to approach contemporary debates, and the relationship between history and citizenship education. Although there are significant differences, there are also similarities in the way each country approaches common issues.

Keywords:
History curricula; History education; Purposes of history education; Historical scales; Historical thinking