History lessons minimise roles of women, says study

The role of women in history goes far beyond Elizabeth I or Anne Boleyn, according to a new campaign that seeks to add more of women's lives and achievements to the curriculum taught in England's schools.

- Richard Adams Education editor

Research by the group End Sexism in Schools found women were largely absent from history taught in key stage 3, the first three years of secondary education in England, with monarchs among the handful of women mentioned by name alongside the suffragettes Emmeline Pankhurst and Emily Davison.

Freedom of information requests on lesson content sent to secondary schools found 59% of history lessons at key stage 3 did not mention women at all, while only 12% focused on women and 29% mentioned women within other topics.