Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the causes and consequences of the Irish famine are part of the current curriculum in English schools; and if not, whether they intend to add this to the curriculum.

The history curriculum gives teachers and schools the freedom and flexibility to use specific examples from history to teach pupils about the history of Britain and the wider world. Schools and teachers can determine which examples, topics and resources to use to stimulate and challenge pupils and reflect key points in history.

There are opportunities within the themes and eras of the history curriculum for teachers and schools to teach the Irish Famine at key stages 1-3. Schools can teach it at key stage 1, about events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally and at key stage 2, within a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066. There are also opportunities at key stage 3, within the ‘ideas, political power, industry and empire: Britain, 1745-1901’ theme – ‘Ireland and Home Rule’ is one of the example topics in this theme - or within a local history study. The Irish Famine also falls within the scope of the subject content set out for GCSE History.

One of the aims of the history curriculum is to ensure all pupils know and understand the history of these islands as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day: how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world. This could also include teaching about Britain’s role in the abolition of slavery.