Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Nash on 1 December (HL3032 and HL3033), whether they consider that independent schools are obliged to meet the requirements in section 78 of the Education Act 2002 to teach a broad and balanced curriculum; and whether such schools are permitted to teach young earth creationism or intelligent design to children as scientifically valid, or are obliged to teach evolution as part of their science curriculum using appropriate teaching materials.

Independent schools are not obliged to meet the requirements of section 78 of the Education Act 2002 for a broad and balanced curriculum which

(a) promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and

(b) prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.

However, there are requirements in the independent school standards which, as explained in a previous Answer (HL3032), independent schools are obliged to follow. They contain a detailed standard for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, and the revised standards which come into force on 5 January 2015 also include an enhanced requirement on preparation for adult life.

The standards do not, as noted in Answer HL3032, prevent the teaching of creationism. Nor do they require the teaching of any specific scientific matters, such as evolution. However, in their arrangements for teaching science, schools are expected to imbue pupils with an appreciation of the need for an evidence-based approach, and an ability to think and learn for themselves.