As Scotland’s curriculum enters a new phase of reflection and reform, history education stands at something of a crossroads.
The ongoing “curriculum improvement cycle” (CIC), led by Education Scotland, is rightly prompting big questions about what we teach, how we teach it and why it matters.
In this moment of re-evaluation, we have a valuable opportunity not just to update content but to reimagine how we structure historical learning for pupils across the country.
Reimagining the history curriculum
I believe it’s time we reimagined the shape of the history curriculum, and that means putting themes at the centre.
Moving beyond chronology as the defining structure would allow teachers to craft learning that is deeper, more inclusive and more connected to the world that our young people inhabit today. We still need timelines and context, of course, but let’s not ever allow them to limit the stories we tell or the questions we ask.
Why now?
The CIC has highlighted the need for a more inclusive, relevant and engaging history curriculum - one that reflects the diverse experiences of Scotland’s learners and supports progression from the .
Encouragingly, we already see excellent examples of thematic teaching in BGE classrooms across Scotland, where teachers are using “big ideas” to help pupils to connect past and present in powerful ways.
The challenge now is to build on that strong foundation by embedding thematic approaches more systematically into the senior phase. This would not only promote greater coherence and depth but also support our wider ambitions to prepare young people to be critical, informed citizens in a complex world.
Rather than approaching the past as a linear procession of dates and events, thematic teaching encourages pupils to explore big ideas, such as migration, resistance, conflict, power or identity; supporting the kind of deep, conceptual learning that Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence is supposed to aspire to - with learning opportunities that are meaningful, coherent and connected.
When we examine the theme of protest, for example, teachers can draw on case studies from across history, from the Highland Clearances to the Suffragettes, from Rosa Parks to anti-apartheid activism.
Pupils would not just be memorising isolated events; they would be analysing patterns, evaluating significance and considering continuity and change. They would be learning how people have challenged authority, fought for rights and shaped societies.
Teaching the past thematically also supports the development of critical thinking and historical consciousness. It helps learners to grasp that history is not a fixed set of facts, but a contested space of interpretation. By encountering similar themes in different contexts, pupils might begin to better understand history as a discipline, one that asks questions, weighs evidence and makes meaning.
Equity and inclusion
Thematic teaching can also play a role in tackling inequalities within the curriculum. For some learners, especially those with additional support needs or English as an additional language, thematic approaches can make learning more accessible. By focusing on core concepts rather than vast volumes of content, we could allow pupils to explore the past in ways that might help to make learning feel manageable and meaningful.
Teaching history thematically also invites us to widen the lens of historical inquiry. Through the theme of migration, we can examine the movement of Jewish communities escaping persecution in Europe or Pakistani families settling in post-war Britain, or make contemporary comparisons with refugee resettlement in Scottish towns.
A thematic approach to the theme of power would allow teachers to more explicitly explore colonial oppression and grassroots activism, helping to construct a curriculum that is more globally aware and socially just; something that ought to be in step with Scotland’s evolving educational priorities.
Thematic planning empowers teachers to respond to the realities and interests of their learners. It supports greater curricular flexibility and provides a platform for meaningful interdisciplinary learning.
Whether through links with literature, geography, citizenship, religious studies, the creative arts or Stem subjects, history can serve as a central focus through which pupils examine the interconnectedness of ideas, people and societal change over time.
Depth over breadth
Importantly, thematic teaching supports depth over breadth. Rather than rushing through a checklist of events, teachers can perhaps find time to slow down, dwell in complexity and better navigate learners in making connections.
As we look to the next iteration of the Scottish history curriculum, the time feels right to embed thematic approaches more fully, especially within the senior phase. We already see inspiring thematic work taking place in BGE classrooms across the country.
Now we should ensure that this ambition is carried forward, offering young people in the senior phase the same opportunity to explore history through big ideas that resonate across time and society.
Scotland has a proud tradition of critical, socially conscious education. Let’s carry that tradition into our history classrooms by teaching not just what happened but what mattered and why it still matters now.
In short, as we shape the curriculum of the future, let’s be bold enough to rethink the past.
Dr Paul Hamilton is a teaching fellow (history education) and academic coordinator (placements and partnerships) at the University of Edinburgh’s Moray House School of Education and Sport. He was previously a teacher of history and legal studies and tweets
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