Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure media literacy programmes are part of local and regional strategies in schools.

Media literacy is currently taught through the national curriculum for citizenship at key stages 3 and 4. Citizenship teaching should equip pupils with the skills and knowledge to explore political and social issues critically, to weigh evidence, debate and make reasoned arguments.

Citizenship teaches about distinguishing fact from opinion as well as exploring freedom of speech and the role and responsibility of the media in informing and shaping public opinion. Complementary aspects of media literacy are also taught through relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) and computing which together equip pupils to evaluate and apply information technology, and to be a discerning consumer of information online.

Support for teaching is available through a number of sources, including optional, free and adaptable resources from Oak National Academy at: https://www.thenational.academy/.

The department also funds the National Centre for Computing Education, to support the teaching of computing. This includes units on messaging in digital media, the credibility of sources, and identifying ‘fake’ news and edited images.

The government endorses Ofcom’s three-year Media Literacy Strategy, which commits to working with regional partners to share learnings and effective educational practices with teachers, senior leaders and relevant education authorities. The strategy also includes working with Multi-Academy Trusts in England to help schools support parents on online safety with the aim to develop this into a national approach.