Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to ensure that Black history is taught in schools all year.

Teaching a knowledge-rich, 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 about 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 freedom and flexibility in the history National Curriculum 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.

The Department published a blog on Black History Month in October, where it was emphasised that there is scope in the curriculum to teach black history all year round. References to high quality curriculum resources were included and it highlighted how important it is to celebrate the contribution black communities and individuals have made over the centuries in shaping the dynamic and diverse country we have today. The blog can be accessed 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 a history curriculum which reflects the diversity in history. This will be published in early 2024.