Search

In Teaching History 157, Assessment Edition, a number of different teachers shared the ways in which their departments were approaching the assessment and reporting of students' progress in a 'post-levels' world. This article adds to those examples, first by illustrating how teachers from different schools in the Bristol area are working together to examine, evaluate and build on others' ideas and then by presenting a further series of case studies of the particular strategies that individual departments have taken forward. In each case the teachers explain why those approaches have been valuable to them or particularly suitable, given the policies and constraints operating in their individual schools, and they acknowledge on-going areas for development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author shares her conclusions after years of researching about the assessment of history students' knowledge. Topics mentioned include the Year 11 exam essay for students in Great Britain, the limits of this system, and ways teachers and examiners can improve the mark-schemes. Examples of different exercises and abstracts of essays are presented and commented.

The author reflects on the creation of history curricula in schools in Great Britain to suggest that history education should include diverse religious, ethnic, and racial perspectives in addition to national history. Emphasis is given to topics such as history requirements for British students and compulsory study of history for pupils aged 11 to 14.