Asked by
To ask His Majesty’s Government whether they plan to launch a
commission to consider how the school curriculum may be updated
to include (1) data literacy, (2) digital literacy, (3) financial
literacy, and (4) character and resilience education.
(Con)
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on
the Order Paper and declare my technology interests as set out in
the register.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for
Education () (Con)
My Lords, the Government have no plans to launch a commission to
review the curriculum. Data literacy is covered within
mathematics, science, computing and geography; digital literacy
within computing, and relationships, sex and health education;
and financial literacy within citizenship and mathematics.
Relationships, sex and health education, and citizenship,
directly support the development of character and resilience, and
schools can reinforce personal development in other curriculum
subjects and through their extracurricular enrichment offer.
(Con)
My Lords, if AI is to human intellect what steam was to human
strength, your Lordships will see the extent of the issue. Steam
literally changed time. This is just AI; when it is considered
alongside the other emerging technologies, issues around data and
privacy, the platforms and the approaching metaverse, is it not
clear that it is high time to launch a commission to consider a
complete overhaul of the curriculum? It should enable young
people—ultimately, all people—to be safe, secure and successful,
optimising the opportunity for human talent to lead
technology.
(Con)
I agree with my noble friend’s point about the importance of data
and AI and how they may transform many aspects of our lives. The
Prime Minister has been absolutely clear about our national
commitment to be a leader in this space. There is a great deal of
work going on across government but, in the interim, we are
absolutely committed to elements within the curriculum that
deliver on all the issues my noble friend raises.
(Lab)
My Lords, everyone would agree on the need for a relevant
curriculum, so the noble Lord, Lord Holmes, makes a very good
point, particularly on building character and resilience. Can the
Minister explain to the House how children’s resilience can be
built when the Public Accounts Committee report published
yesterday found that the attainment gap in respect of the most
disadvantaged children has continued to grow? The Government
appear to have no specified measurement for the success of the
additional investment in the National Tutoring Programme.
(Con)
This country is not unique in its disadvantaged children having
suffered particularly during the pandemic. We have been very
clear about our vision for the National Tutoring Programme, which
is particularly relevant in giving disadvantaged children access
to some of the privileges enjoyed by children from more socially
advantaged homes. Tutoring on its own is not enough, which is why
we have made a number of commitments including, at one end of the
spectrum, putting senior mental health leads in our schools and,
at the other, reinforcing our commitment to sport, music and
other resilience-building activities in our schools.
(CB)
My Lords, does the Minister agree that the building of character
and resilience does not require the appointment of a commission?
Teachings of right and wrong, and of responsibility and
resilience, are common in our different religions and other world
views, but are, sadly, badly obscured in formal RE, with its
overfocus on rituals, artefacts and the shape and size of
religious buildings. Does the Minister further agree that much
greater emphasis should be put on the important ethical
commonalities between religions?
(Con)
I am not sure that I agree with the noble Lord’s description of
the RE curriculum, but he makes the broader point that schools
play a part—along with, obviously and incredibly importantly,
families—in setting the moral compass of our children and our
nation’s future.
(Con)
My Lords, when my noble friend Lord Holmes asked a similarly
important Question a little while ago and I raised the importance
of our schoolchildren having a real foundation in the history of
their country, my noble friend replied very positively and was
encouraging. Has she any further progress to report?
(Con)
We are not changing the national curriculum, but we did a major
review of it in 2014. A knowledge-rich curriculum, which evidence
suggests is particularly important for children from
disadvantaged communities, continues to be our focus.
(Lab)
My Lords, I think we all agree that there will be a point when
the improvement and radical updating of the curriculum are
needed. If that is to happen, putting in place the required
backing for teachers to get support will be necessary. The
Minister gave a very helpful answer when she talked about
citizenship. Will she reflect that some of the people who have
the greatest character and resilience in reality are those living
in the most desperate circumstances—often a single parent
abandoned by their partner with three or four children in a
high-rise block? Preaching to them is not what they need.
(Con)
I really hope that I did not give the impression that any element
of preaching was going on. I absolutely recognise the description
that the noble Lord gave. I just ask the House to reflect on this
idea of radical improvement being needed in the curriculum.
England just came fourth in the PIRLS global reading survey; we
are, as we like to say in the DfE, the best in the West. That
does not sound to me like a curriculum that needs radical
overhaul.
My Lords, does the Minister agree that resilience is not
something primarily that is taught? It is something that develops
as you take what is thrown at you in the experiences of life. To
that end, is any thinking going on in government about future
curricula which allow for children in our schools, particularly
secondary schools, to be exposed to opinions and things with
which they do not agree in order that they are able to live in a
world of conflicting dogmas and opinions, and do not have to run
away from them?
(Con)
The right reverend Prelate makes a very important point. The
House is obviously familiar with the emphasis we have put on
freedom of speech, particularly in our higher education
institutions, but the skills of critical thinking, analysis and
debate—which data will feed into in coming to objective and
balanced views and an ability to listen to others—obviously need
to start in our schools and homes.
(LD)
My Lords, these exchanges have already pinpointed the problem
that the noble Lord, Lord Holmes, is trying to highlight. The
skills required by the next generation to understand and deal
with new technologies are real and present now. Quite frankly,
the list he put forward of skills to be acquired are beyond the
reach of a single department, including the Department for
Education. His idea of a commission, possibly sponsored by the
Prime Minister, who has skills in this area, is now needed to
avoid moving into another era when most of our population are
ill-equipped to deal with the technologies serving them.
(Con)
It would help to understand some of the specific areas of
concern. Data and its use are firmly embedded in the mathematics,
science, geography and computing curriculums. Computing is a
statutory national curriculum subject from key stage 1 to key
stage 4. We have introduced, and are introducing, a number of
digital-focused T-levels. The fundamental point is that, as shown
in the OECD PISA surveys, without strong mathematics and reading,
you cannot achieve literacy in any of these things. That is why
our focus on those building blocks is so crucial.
(Con)
My Lords, numerous reports, including the publication in February
from the APPG on Financial Education for Young People, of which I
am vice-chair, have consistently highlighted that the provision
of financial education is severely lacking in our schools. Can
the Minister tell me why the Government do not prioritise this
issue, given that doing so would result in more of our children
leaving school with a crucial life skill?
(Con)
I cannot accept my noble friend’s assertion that we are not
providing this effectively. We appreciate that there are some
issues in the delivery of financial education—for example, we
know that only 69% of secondary schools say that they teach money
management. I know that reviews have shown a lack of confidence
among some teachers in delivering financial education, which is
why the Oak National Academy is producing more dedicated
materials to support teachers. The Money and Pensions Service
produced financial education guidance for schools in 2021. We are
working on this across every aspect, but I reiterate that without
mathematics and reading, we will not achieve financial literacy.
