Overview

This bill mandates the inclusion of specific British values in all official statements related to education in England and Wales. These values, defined within the bill, aim to guide teaching and assessment of citizenship.

Description

The Education (Values of British Citizenship) Bill requires that all statements on British values for education purposes issued by the Secretary of State, Ofsted, and other public authorities must include: democracy, the rule of law, freedom (including freedom of thought, conscience, religion, expression, assembly, and association), individual worth (defined as respect for the equal worth and dignity of every person), and respect for the environment (considering the systemic effects of human actions on environmental health and sustainability globally for present and future generations). The bill specifies that these values should be referred to as “values of British citizenship”. The Act applies to England and Wales and comes into force upon its passage.

Government Spending

The bill does not specify any direct government spending. The impact on government spending is likely to be minimal, primarily associated with administrative costs related to implementing the new requirements on statements about British values.

Groups Affected

This bill will affect:

• The Secretary of State for Education: Responsible for ensuring compliance with the new requirements.
• Ofsted: Their inspections and reports will need to incorporate the specified values.
• Public authorities involved in education: All relevant bodies must include the specified values in their statements.
• Schools and educational institutions: Their teaching and assessment of citizenship may need adjustment to align with the defined values.

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