Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Nash on 27 November (HL3031), whether they consider that parents who learn that their children are being taught by a school that young earth creationism or intelligent design is scientifically valid are entitled to regard it as evidence that that school is not offering a broad and balanced curriculum under the terms of section 78 of the Education Act 2002.

Maintained schools are obliged to comply with section 78 of the Education Act 2002. Maintained schools that teach young earth creationism or intelligent design as valid science undermine the teaching of established evolutionary theory and are therefore not complying with the national curriculum or providing a broad and balanced curriculum as required by section 78. If parents have concerns about this they should raise the matter through the school’s complaints procedure in the first instance.