Education and Culture: Upholding British Values in Schools
Education should build the future — not divide it.
Education should unite the country, pass on knowledge, and prepare young people for work and citizenship. Too often today, it does the opposite. Classrooms have become battlegrounds in a wider culture war, with divisive ideological agendas crowding out core learning and undermining parental trust.
Reform UK believes it’s time to reset. Schools exist to educate — not to indoctrinate. Protecting children’s education and Britain’s shared civic culture is not extreme; it is responsible.
Refocusing on What Schools Are For
Standards matter. Britain needs higher attainment in STEM, strong literacy and numeracy, and a curriculum that equips pupils with practical skills and confidence. That also means restoring the place of British history and civic education, taught honestly and without political distortion — celebrating achievements, acknowledging failures, and fostering a sense of belonging rather than grievance.
Reform UK argues for:
a knowledge-rich curriculum with clear benchmarks
stronger discipline so teachers can teach and pupils can learn
real technical and vocational pathways alongside academic routes
This isn’t nostalgia. It’s common sense.
Keeping Ideology Out of the Classroom
Many parents are concerned that schools are being asked to teach radical gender theory and adopt blanket diversity and inclusion mandates that push political positions rather than evidence-based education. Reform UK is clear: children should not be subjected to ideological activism at school.
That means:
banning the teaching of radical gender ideology to minors
ensuring sex education is age-appropriate, factual, and transparent
scrapping D&I requirements that politicise race or identity
Schools should respect parents as partners, not bypass them.
Empowering Teachers, Restoring Discipline
Teachers want to teach. Yet bureaucracy, behaviour issues, and politicised directives often get in the way. Reform UK supports clear discipline policies, backing heads and teachers when they enforce standards, and cutting unnecessary paperwork so staff can focus on pupils.
A calm, orderly classroom benefits everyone — especially disadvantaged children who rely most on school for opportunity.
Beyond Schools: Free Speech and Skills
Education reform doesn’t stop at the school gate. Universities should be places of free inquiry, not conformity. Academic freedom and open debate are essential to a healthy society, and they must be protected.
At the same time, Britain needs more high-quality technical training — apprenticeships, industry-linked courses, and clear routes into skilled work. Not every path leads to university, and that’s a strength, not a weakness.
Protecting Children, Strengthening Culture
This is not about exclusion or hostility. It’s about setting boundaries and restoring trust. Children deserve an education grounded in knowledge, fairness, and respect — not one shaped by the latest ideological fashion.
Reform UK’s approach is straightforward: raise standards, respect parents, empower teachers, and keep politics out of the classroom. By doing so, we can give young people the skills they need, the confidence they deserve, and a shared sense of what it means to be part of Britain.
Education should build the future — not divide it.