Research by End Sexism in Schools has revealed that 59% of Key Stage 3 history lessons in England make no mention of women whatsoever. Of the remaining lessons, only 12% focus on women, and these tend to concentrate on a handful of familiar figures such as Elizabeth I, Anne Boleyn and Emmeline Pankhurst. When women do appear in the curriculum, they are frequently presented as victims rather than leaders or agents of change.

Campaigners have warned that this distorted representation of the past not only fuels misogyny but also denies both boys and girls the opportunity to learn about the full scope of women's contributions throughout history. The group is now calling on the Department for Education and exam boards to take action by embedding women into core curriculum topics, increasing their presence in examination questions, and ensuring that teaching materials properly reflect the contributions of both men and women to historical events and movements.