“Deeply regrettable” that Curriculum Bill is reaching its final stage without mandatory Welsh history element – Plaid

Lack of teacher time and resource will mean Welsh history provision “patchy” in new curriculum

Plaid Cymru’s Shadow Minister for Education has expressed her disappointment over the anticipated passing of the New Curriculum Bill without Welsh history, including the history of Black people and People of Colour, as a mandatory element.

The Bill is due to reach its final stage this afternoon in today’s plenary session.

Sian Gwenllian MS has long been calling for Welsh history to be on the face of the bill, having tabled amendments and led multiple Senedd debates on the matter.

Concerns were raised about the ‘patchy’ teaching of Welsh history in 2019 by the Senedd Culture Committee, and a review by Estyn which was subsequently recommended by the committee to better establish the teaching of Welsh history ‘to inform the delivery of the Curriculum for Wales’ has been delayed until autumn 2021 due to the pandemic.

Ms Gwenllian said that pupils will be subject to a “postcode lottery” without a “mandatory, common body of knowledge” for schools.

Ms Gwenllian also noted that “knowing and understanding Wales’ heritage and our place in the world is a right that all Welsh pupils deserve”.

Plaid Cymru Shadow Minister for Education, Sian Gwenllian MS said,

“It’s very disappointing to see this bill reaching its final stage without Welsh history, including the history of Black people and People of Colour, as a mandatory element of the curriculum.

“Knowing and understanding Wales’ heritage and our place in the world is a right that all Welsh pupils deserve and is crucial in ensuring Welsh pupils are ‘informed citizens of Wales and the world’, as the bill advocates. 

“The national story of Wales should be a compulsory part of the new curriculum, included on the face of the Bill and supported with resources and training for teachers. Otherwise there will be limited guidance for schools on its teaching and implementation and ultimately it will be very unlikely that it’s taught in practice.

“It is deeply regrettable that our children and young people are to be subject to a postcode lottery when it comes to the new curriculum, something which is inevitable without a mandatory, common body of knowledge for schools to teach.”