Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that a balanced approach is taken to the teaching of British colonial history.

History is a foundation subject of the national curriculum and is statutory in local authority maintained schools at Key Stages 1 to 3. Academies and free schools can choose to use the national curriculum as a benchmark.

The history curriculum sets out, within a clear chronological framework, the core knowledge that enables pupils to know and understand the history of Britain from its first settlers to the development of the institutions that help to define our national life today, as well as aspects of European and wider world history. This includes British colonial history. Examples of areas which pupils should be taught about include the development of the British Empire and the end of empire.

Schools are under a duty to ensure that where political issues are brought to the attention of pupils, they are offered a balanced presentation of opposing views.