Schools: Curriculum
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department monitors the (a) distribution and (b) use of educational materials from (a) PETA and (b) other organisations in English schools.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
Schools are subject to statutory duties regarding political impartiality under section 406 and 407 of the Equality Act 1996. This means schools must not promote partisan political views and should ensure that pupils are provided with a balanced treatment of political issues. In 2022 the department published comprehensive guidance to support schools to meet their duties on political impartiality: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/political-impartiality-in-schools/political-impartiality-in-schools#using-external-agencies.
This includes sections on choosing resources and working with external organisations.
The department does not approve or monitor externally produced resources or track their distribution. We have also not met or corresponded with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and do not fund them.
If a parent is concerned about a school using politically partial, inaccurate or inappropriate resources, they should raise the matter with the school immediately and, if necessary, escalate it through the school’s publish complaints process: https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-school.
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