Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a requirement on UK schools to teach Black history as part of the national curriculum.

The freedom and flexibility in the National Curriculum programmes of study for history means that teachers can include black history as a natural part of the themes and eras in the curriculum, both in terms of British and world history, and their interconnection.

Teaching a well sequenced history curriculum means that black history can be taught at all key stages of the curriculum. As part of a broad and balanced curriculum, pupils should be taught the history of different societies, and how different groups have contributed to the development of Britain. This can include the voices and experiences of black people in Britain.

The Department published a blog on Black History Month in October 2022. This emphasised that there is scope in the curriculum to teach black history all year. References to high quality curriculum resources were included and the blog highlighted how important it is to celebrate the contribution black communities and individuals have made over the centuries in shaping a dynamic and diverse Britain. The blog is available at: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2022/10/03/black-history-month-how-black-history-is-taught-in-our-schools-2/.

The Department is developing a model history curriculum to support teaching of a diverse and well sequenced history curriculum. Working with an expert panel that includes history educators, historians and head teachers, the model curriculum will provide an exemplar of a knowledge rich, coherent approach to teaching history. This guidance is due to be published in 2024.