Representation matters
To have wide representation in the curriculum is not just about being inclusive, it is about supporting the students to shape their opinions on the world and to develop their understanding of the people they want to become. A diverse and inclusive history curriculum means all students can feel represented and that their voices matter. When students are given the opportunity to engage with topics that they can relate to, they are more likely to feel motivated to learn, feel valued and respected.[1]
The underrepresentation of women in GCSE History is a leading contribution for a distorted understanding of the past.[2] This underrepresentation in the curriculum does not only affect the way students perceive the history that is being taught to them, but it also has an impact on the way they develop their views on gender roles.[3] For girls in GCSE history classes, it may become frustrating or difficult to engage with material that does not show women as agents of change. On the other hand, boys will develop a male-dominated understanding of society, risking a superiority complex.
As supported by educational theory, the content material students are taught directly impacts identity formation.[4] When students are not seeing themselves being represented, it is easy for them to become disengaged, lack aspirations, and allow them to carry on with structural inequalities.[5] The underrepresentation of women in the curriculum is now more than an issue of historical accuracy, but an issue of morality and educational equality.
Student engagement and identity formation
The GCSE history curriculum plays a huge role on the formation of the understanding of the world, as well as shaping student engagement. The marginalisation of women from the curriculum reduces student understanding to a male-centred world, which isn’t the case. The lack of representation for young girls could potentially reduce class participation and impact academic success.[6]
Students are most likely to engage and be active participants when they feel like their identities are being fairly represented.[7] This of course does not just apply to women and girls, but to ethnic minorities that are also being marginalised within the GCSE history curriculum. A curriculum that constantly gives the centre stage to men, highlighting their achievements, success, and even downfalls, sends a powerful message; the voices of men are superior to the voices of women, and only men are active agents of change.[8] This false narrative is enabling the development of gender bias to continuously grow stronger. Although the long-term effects of this is currently undetermined, lack of representation in the education system can lead to confidence, intellectual, and leadership implications.
The underrepresentation goes deeper than gender, for ethnic minority groups are also marginalised within the GCSE curriculum. Black girls are more likely to feel excluded and silenced in history class, due to their gender and their race.[9] This further highlights the need for gender representation in history, as well as the representation in other aspects too.
Gender norms and stereotypes
The absence of female representation in the GCSE curriculum is actively reinforcing gender norms and inequalities. With textbooks presenting males typically as strong leaders, it sends off the message that this is the expectation. Not only is this allowing girls to feel second to men, but it is allowing young boys to see this false narrative feed toxic masculinity, which is a big issue in itself.
With GCSE students still developing and finding their footing in the world, their minds are impressionable. By having the understanding that men are active agents of change, pro-active and strong, they could potentially harbour the belief that the male gender is superior and start to have a superiority complex against girls and women. Not only is language an issue, but the types of historical figures used is a contributing factor for gender bias and serotypes.[10] Representing the men, they have Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler, and Martin Luther King Jr to name a few. These men are strong, they had a long-lasting effect on society, and they are names that are known. For women, Queen Elizabeth I and the Suffragettes are the female representation. Although they deserve a place in history books, they only represent a small timeframe of history, and only a representation of white, British history.
The omission of women from the curriculum is concerning for the development of students, especially when women aren’t being shown as authority figures or agents of change. This creates a cultural template withing schools, creating a barrier between what is real and what is desired. In order for students to develop a fair and balanced understanding of history, a true and fair representation is required.
Furthermore, the focus on strong male leaders is feeding boys with the ideas that they are the superior sex, and they will inherently start to believe they are destined for big things in life. While this is not necessarily a bad thing for students to aspire, it does reinforce stereotypes and gender norms into young school children. For young girls to see this version of history, it will be discouraging and potentially degrading. Especially to see strong female leaders like Elizabeth I be referred to as the virgin queen.[11] The GCSE history curriculum should be highlighting the success and ambition of both male and female figures, and actively encourage boys and girls to become strong leaders. By having an inclusive curriculum, it will dismantle these stereotypes and help to challenge gender norms for a more inclusive future.
Impact on Educational decicions
The type of content students are being taught has a direct impact on their developing views and understandings.[12] Gender norms and stereotypes are currently being reinforced by the history curriculum. Not only is this reflected because of the omission of women, but because of the way they have been portrayed. For example, the role women took on in World War Two often focusses on their roles as mothers, homesteaders, and nurses. With this type of representation being a constant, students will begin to internalise these roles and start to develop their own beliefs centred around this, further allowing traditional gender norms to continue.[13] When students feel that a subject curriculum represents them, there are more likely to take it at GCSE. With the history curriculum having a heavy male and military focus, girls are less likely to feel inspired by the subject, potentially reducing the numbers of girls that decide to pursue the subject at GCSE, A-level, or even at university level.[14]
Intersectionality and representation
Although there is a growing understanding of the issues surrounding an inclusive curriculum, there is still little representation being shown. Other forms of identity aside from gender, such as race and class are omitted from the GCSE history curriculum. White men, usually from middle to upper class backgrounds dominate the curriculum. This perspective only tells the stories of white men from these backgrounds, and not of women or of Black, Asian, and minority ethnic people (BAME).[15]
Although the BAME representation is very limited, it specifically omits BAME women. This can be seen with the simplified portrayal of civil rights activist Rosa Parks. As previously mentioned, Rosa Parks was an active member of the NAACP, a civil rights organisation.[16] Yet her long-time dedication for equality is often bypassed and the opportunity to open a wider discussion is not taken. Some other BAME women that are not talked about in the history curriculum include Mary Seacole, Lilian Bader, and Claudia Jones.[17] By studying the history behind women like these, students would be presented with strong female leaders and activists, with deep insights into race and empowerment.
The limited race, gender, and class representation in the GCSE history curriculum is limiting students understanding of historical events and gender roles. To only be shown women in traditional jobs and men as strong leaders, students are not being exposed to broad narratives. The marginalisation of women and BAME people is further contributing to the single-axis approach of curriculums.[18] The single-axis approach is when one identity is prioritised, becoming the standard while other forms of identity are ignored.
Marginalised communities in schools will struggle to associate themselves with the history curriculum, possibly limiting their interest in the subject, and have a direct impact on their academic success. Being inclusive means so much more than representation. It allows students from white and privileged backgrounds to understand the issues and troubles people from different backgrounds have faced.[19]
By having a representative curriculum, students will be able to become more understanding and empathetic towards each other, and develop understandings of different races, genders, and class. The inclusion of an inclusive history allows students to have a more historically accurate retelling of the past.
Feedback
One way to gain a valuable insight into how representation affects students is through empirical research and student feedback. Many studies have highlighted the consistencies between students feeling represented and academic engagement.
One piece of research that has explored this correlation is the 2017 PhD thesis from Nadena Doharty.[20] Doharty sets the aim of exploring how key stage 3 students experience black history and black history month as a minority and marginalised group. Although Doharty focused on racial representation for black students, the research is relevant and can be applied to other marginalised groups, such as women. Doharty’s research emphasises the frustrations high school students experience at the hands of the curriculum and its minimal representation. Due to not feeling well or correctly represented, students begin to feel disengaged and uninterested in the curriculum content. From this research, it is valuable to understand that in order for students to engaged and succeed academically it is important for the curriculum to be representative for marginalised groups, and to have a true reflection of the past, and not through rose tinted glasses.
Furthermore, Harris and Burn, 2015, focused specifically on History teachers and their experiences with the curriculum.[21] From their research, the teachers had stated that having an inclusive curriculum that told the stories of women, and non-white figures, students were more engaged and showed an increased curiosity. Harris and Burn’s research suggests that a diverse education is more mentally stimulating for students, allowing them to keep focus and engagement they otherwise would struggle with, benefiting academic achievement and success.[22]
From these studies, it is evident to see that a diverse education does more than include all students, it also benefits academic success, classroom discussion, and personal development.
Compare and contrast
The GCSE history curriculum in England is heavily dominated by political and military history, which is also male dominated. Most recently, exam boards have become more lenient with schools and have allowed for some social history optional modules to be offered to students.[23] Although this is a step closer to a more diverse history education, it is down to each individual school to offer this.
In contrast to the English curriculum, Canada have fostered a more inclusive approach. In an attempt to decolonise the curriculum and have more critical engagement, Canadian schools are including Indigenous women’s history. These changes may seem small, yet they are offering students powerful insights into Indigenous history and gendered battles. With more representation and inclusion in mainstream education, this is a step closer to tackling gender norms and combating stereotypes.[24]
[1] Mary E. Kite and Patricia Clark, “The Benefits of Diversity Education,” American Psychological Association, September 8, 2022, https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psychology-teacher-network/introductory-psychology/benefits-of-diversity.
[2] Saarah Ahmed, “ What Is the Impact of the Lack of Black and Ethnic Minority Representation in British History?,” 2023,
[3] Saarah Ahmed, “ What Is the Impact of the Lack of Black and Ethnic Minority Representation in British History?,” 2023,
[4] Sandra Acker, “Feminist Theory and the Study of Gender and Education,” International Review of Education 33, no. 4 (1987): 419–35, https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00615157.
[5] Reanne B. Rivera, “Effects of Curricular Integration of Students’ Identities,” 2023.
[6] Saarah Ahmed, “ What Is the Impact of the Lack of Black and Ethnic Minority Representation in British History?,” 2023,
[7] Saarah Ahmed, “ What Is the Impact of the Lack of Black and Ethnic Minority Representation in British History?,” 2023,
[8] Saarah Ahmed, “ What Is the Impact of the Lack of Black and Ethnic Minority Representation in British History?,” 2023,
[9] Saarah Ahmed, “ What Is the Impact of the Lack of Black and Ethnic Minority Representation in British History?,” 2023,
[10] Tom Bramley, Carmen Vidal, and Sylvia Vitello, “Gender Differences in GCSE,” 2015, https://www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/Images/gender-differences-in-gcse.pdf.
[11] Emily Van Putten, “The Impact of Gender Bias in Education ,” Emilyvanputten.com, August 12, 2024, https://emilyvanputten.com/the-impact-of-gender-bias-in-education/.
[12] Richard J. Shavelson et al., “On the Impact of Curriculum-Embedded Formative Assessment on Learning: A Collaboration between Curriculum and Assessment Developers,” Applied Measurement in Education 21, no. 4 (September 30, 2008): 295–314, https://doi.org/10.1080/08957340802347647.
[13] Corbin Elizabeth Schrader and Christine Min Wotipka, “History Transformed? Gender in World War II Narratives in U.S. History Textbooks, 19562007,” Feminist Formations 23, no. 3 (2011): 68–88, https://doi.org/10.2307/41301673.
[14] Saarah Ahmed, “ What Is the Impact of the Lack of Black and Ethnic Minority Representation in British History?,” 2023,
[15] Katharine Burn and Richard Harris, “Historical Association Survey of History in Secondary Schools in England 2021 ,” 2021, file:///C:/Users/phoeb/OneDrive/Uni/HA_Survey_of_History_in_Schools_in_England_2021.pdf.
[16] NAACP, “Rosa Parks | NAACP,” naacp.org (NAACP, 2022), https://naacp.org/find-resources/history-explained/civil-rights-leaders/rosa-parks
[17] BBC, “Black History Month in Britain: Great Women You Should Know about – CBBC Newsround,” Bbc.co.uk, October 2018, https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/41433196.
[18] Grace Ajele and Jena Mcgill, “INTERSECTIONALITY in LAW and LEGAL CONTEXTS,” 2020, https://www.leaf.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Full-Report-Intersectionality-in-Law-and-Legal-Contexts.pdf.
[19] Jessie Kwak, “Promoting Equity in the Classroom with Intersectional Pedagogy,” Every Learner Everywhere, December 6, 2021, https://www.everylearnereverywhere.org/blog/promoting-equity-in-the-classroom-with-intersectional-pedagogy/.
[20] Nadena Doharty, “Black History Month and Black History with Key Stage 3 Students in English Secondary Schools: A Critical Race Theory Approach ” (2017), file:///C:/Users/phoeb/Downloads/DohartyPhD2017%20(1).pdf.
[21] Richard Harris and Katharine Burn, “English History Teachers’ Views on What Substantive Content Young People Should Be Taught,” Journal of Curriculum Studies 48, no. 4 (December 18, 2015): 518–46, https://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2015.1122091.
[22] Richard Harris and Katharine Burn, “English History Teachers’ Views on What Substantive Content Young People Should Be Taught,” Journal of Curriculum Studies 48, no. 4 (December 18, 2015): 518–46, https://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2015.1122091.
[23] Madeleine Arnot, Reproducing Gender (Routledge, 2002), https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203994344.
[24] “Canadian and World Studies ECONOMICS • GEOGRAPHY • HISTORY • LAW • POLITICS the Ontario Curriculum Grades 11 and 12 2 0 1 5 R E v I S E D,” 2015, https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/2015cws11and12.pdf.
Gender in history 