Og, Nazmiye; (2025) Understanding and practicing teaching and assessing for progression in historical learning: Four case studies of English secondary schools. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL ( University College London).

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Abstract

This study explores how history departments in English secondary schools understand and practice progression in historical learning. By broadly defining progression as “getting better at history” (e.g., Counsell, 2000), this research focused on the development of substantive knowledge, second-order concepts, procedural knowledge, and skills that are foundational to historical understanding. Between 1991 and 2014, the National Curriculum Levels (NCLs) system in England determined students' progression (e.g., DfE, 2013). Following a national education policy change in 2014, schools were given the freedom to devise their own progression and assessment models. However, there is a lack of research exploring how history departments have adapted to this new situation. This study investigates history departments' understandings and practices based on teachers' perceptions and experiences, as well as the influences shaping their departmental decision-making. The research is embedded in a qualitative, interpretive, exploratory, multiple case study framework. Using purposive sampling (Blaikie and Priest, 2019), the study was conducted in four schools in the East of England, each with different curriculum philosophies to explore diverse approaches to teaching and assessment for progression in historical learning. Data collection included semi-structured interviews and the analysis of departmental documents. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and interpreted with NVivo 13, drawing on relevant literature. The research found no consensus among history departments regarding the understanding and practice of progression in historical learning. The data revealed diverse approaches, some of which were not previously highlighted in the literature review. Schools’ curriculum approaches and policies significantly influenced the shaping of history curricula and practices within departments. Additionally, accountability measures such as Ofsted frameworks and GCSE exams, teachers’ communities of practice, the needs of students and local communities affected teachers’ decisions and practices. In contrast to the tightly regulated system from 1991 to 2014, teachers now possess greater freedom to reshape their practices. However, they continue to operate within an accountability regime characteristic of the neoliberal educational landscape (Ball, 2003; Hall and Gunter, 2016). Understanding how history teachers navigate this deregulated assessment environment is crucial. This study offers new insights into the complexities and variations in practices across history departments, contributing to the broader discourse on progression in historical learning.

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