Education: Politics A-level

Baroness Burt of Solihull Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd December 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

As someone who studied politics at A-level, I can certainly say that an understanding of the House of Lords would have helped me.

[Baroness Burt of Solihull (LD)]

My Lords, picking up on my noble friend’s question about the issue of feminism in the curriculum, it is now more than 40 years since the passing of the Equal Pay Act, but the wage gap between men and women is still disappointingly wide. Should not young people understand the importance of equality, the history of what has happened with feminism and the future challenges that we all hope will be worked on together to achieve greater equality?

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

I agree with the noble Baroness. As I have said, the work of feminist thinkers absolutely can be studied within the new politics A-level once the content has been revised. Of course, feminism can also be studied within other A-levels. For example, in the reformed sociology specification, students must study issues of gender.