Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Political Impartiality in Schools

Monday 23 May 2022 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial guidance has been published to help teachers handle sensitive topics politically impartially.
  • Teachers are expected to use historical evidence rigorously to teach critical thinking.
  • Schools possess existing powers to take disciplinary action against teachers who repeatedly fail to comply.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Gareth Bacon Con Orpington
Education Democracy & Elections
Context

Concerns about political bias in schools and the need for guidance on handling sensitive issues.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure political impartiality in schools. The law requires schools to remain politically impartial, but some issues are challenging for teachers to handle. My Department has recently published comprehensive guidance to assist teachers with sensitive topics.

Answer from Nadhim Zahawi

The law is clear that schools must remain politically impartial. Colleagues from all sides of the House enjoy participating in school hustings during elections. The Department has published comprehensive guidance to help teachers tackle sensitive issues in a politically impartial way.

Answered
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Q2 Gareth Bacon Con Orpington
Education
Context

Concern about the inability to teach history impartially, as claimed by some members of the National Education Union. Request for powers in the Schools Bill to address repeated breaches.

Question

In April this year, members of the National Education Union claimed it was impossible to teach history in a balanced manner. Concerns that children are at risk from political activists posing as teachers. Request for powers in the new Schools Bill to strike off those who repeatedly fail to comply with impartiality guidelines.

Answer from Nadhim Zahawi

Our knowledge-rich history curriculum requires teaching methods of historical inquiry. We should teach children how to think, not what to think, including the use of evidence rigorously to make claims and discern arguments. Schools already have powers for disciplinary action where teachers repeatedly breach legal duties.

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