Local History: Education
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support the teaching of local history in schools.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
The national curriculum provides a broad framework within which schools have the flexibility to develop the content of their own curricula. Local history is a compulsory element of the history curriculum across key stages 1 to 3, enabling schools to explore topics relevant to their communities. Historic England’s Heritage Schools Programme, funded by the Department for Culture Media and Sport, provides continuous professional development support and resources to help schools teach their local history.
The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review wants to ensure a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum that readies young people for life and work. The Review Group published an interim report on 18 March, accessible at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/curriculum-and-assessment-review-interim-report.
The Review’s final report with recommendations will be published in the autumn.
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