How effectively can World Heritage in Young Hands support delivery of the revised National Curriculum for secondary schools in England? /Anthony

Abstract

In 1972 UNESCO adopted the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972 Convention); this provided a global framework for the selection, management and protection of heritage sites deemed to be of “outstanding universal value.”

Article 27 of the 1972 Convention requires States Parties to promote world heritage through educational programmes: in 1995 UNESCO convened a panel of experts charged with addressing this task. The UNESCO panel drafted a syllabus dedicated to world heritage education entitled “World Heritage in Your Hands” (Young Hands). First published in 1998 Young Hands formed the basis of a UNESCO Schools project and was recommended to secondary schools on a global basis. Using interview data obtained from the original UNESCO panel and drawing on hitherto unexplored archive material this thesis examines the drafting of Young Hands.

Following UNESCO’s recommendations, this thesis determines the extent to which Young Hands supports teaching and learning in English secondary schools. Secondary schools in England are required to follow a centrally proscribed National Curriculum; recent revisions to the National Curriculum (N/C 2007) coupled with changes to GCSE specifications have had a marked impact on educational provision; this thesis determines the extent to which Young Hands supports these changes. Subject advisors at the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), responsible for implementing N/C 2007, were invited to comment on the extent to which Young Hands supported the revised National Curriculum. Detailed analysis of N/C 2007 programmes of study and GCSE specifications supplemented this data.

Whilst research indicated that Young Hands could support N/C 2007 one initiative, “Making Sense of Our Sites” (MSOS), sought to publish a “UK Version of Young Hands.” MSOS comprised a series of conferences showcasing education resources developed by World Heritage Sites (WHSs) throughout the UK; these case studies illustrated hoe Young Hands might be used to support N/C 2007. Just as significantly, roundtable discussions at MSOS identified major obstacles inhibiting the production of educational resources including the apathy of WHSs managers and a general lack of training in educational procedures.

Concluding this thesis, specific training in education is recommended for WHS managers; this, coupled with a recommendation that Candidate Sites comply with Article 27 prior to inscription, should ensure that Young Hands is viewed as a valuable resource by schools in England.