The schools minister has announced that the government is developing a “model history curriculum”, of which diversity will be an “important aspect”.
Robin Walker told MPs that the model curriculum will “equip teachers and leaders to teach migration, cultural change and the contributions made by different communities to science, art, culture and society”, standing as an “exemplar of a knowledge-rich, coherent approach to teaching history”.
He said this approach would embed diversity in a “meaningful, rather than tokenistic” way.
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Speaking during a debate on Black History Month in the Commons yesterday, Mr Walker said: “I acknowledge that some teachers may need more guidance on how to teach a high-quality and diverse history curriculum, and that is why I am pleased to announce that we are taking steps to develop a model history curriculum.
“We will work with history curriculum experts, historians and school leaders to develop a model history curriculum that will stand as an exemplar of a knowledge-rich, coherent approach to teaching history.
“School education gives the rare opportunity to offer children experiences that go beyond their own circumstances and cultural background. The cultural breadth that schools can teach children offers common cultural touchpoints for all. That is why a knowledge-rich approach embeds diversity in a meaningful, rather than tokenistic, form.”
He added: “Diversity will be an important aspect of the model history curriculum as we demonstrate how the content, themes and eras of the national curriculum can be brought to life by teaching these in an interconnected form through key stages.”
The minister was asked by Conservative backbencher Steve Baker how he would defend the new curriculum if members of his own government accused him of being “woke”.
He replied: “I think it is much more important that we celebrate what brings us together than allow discussion to set us apart.
“Children should be taught all aspects of our shared history and as we have heard in this debate that includes both the good and the bad.”
Mr Walker added that further details on the model curriculum would be announced “in due course”.
On the subject of disproportionally high exclusion rates among black Caribbean pupils, Mr Walker said the government was updating its guidance “to ensure that schools and governing bodies understand their responsibility to spot trends in the data and accordingly put support in place for certain groups of pupils faster or provide early intervention”.
“We should not shy away from the fact that some groups of children are more likely to be excluded than others,” he said.
