KEY POINTS:
Elizabeth I is more familiar to Year 13 students than Governor William Hobson.
History students are more likely to learn about the reign of Elizabeth I than Maori-Pakeha relations in their last year at school.
Of the two main topics taught in Year 13 (seventh form), England 1558-1667 is more widely taught than New Zealand in the 19th century.
History Teachers' Association chairman Paul O'Connor said about two-thirds of schools taught the Tudor-Stuart England lessons.
He said school resources and the areas of teachers' specialist knowledge were partly behind the figure.
Mr O'Connor said while some large schools offered both the English and New Zealand topics at Year 13, that was not possible in smaller schools.
A history review group paper, out for consultation, found some schools concentrated entirely on one historical context for Year 13s.
It was dubbed "an unfortunate state of affairs".
The paper recommended the teaching of wider themes, such as gender, migration histories and religion.
