Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to promote classical education within the state education sector.

The government is committed to supporting a broad and balanced curriculum that is inclusive and accessible to all pupils. Classical education, including classical studies and the study of ancient languages, offers valuable insights into history, language development, politics and art, and can enrich pupils’ understanding of the world today. All schools are free to include Classics within their curriculum, and GCSEs and A levels are available in this subject.

The department continues to work with organisations such as Classics for All, The Classical Association and Hands Up Education to ensure schools are aware of the free resources and support available to teach this subject.

To further strengthen subject expertise, we provide bursaries for trainee language teachers, including those training to teach ancient languages. For the 2026/27 academic year, this will be £20,000.