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Teachers do not receive enough support to deal with the complexities of teaching about the British Empire, a report finds.

While 94 per cent of teachers and 79 per cent of students surveyed believe all young people should learn about Britain’s imperial past, only 16 per cent of teachers say it is taught well enough in schools.

The large-scale national study, led by researchers at the University of Oxford and UCL Institute of Education, surveyed 1,000 teachers and 3,000 students across England to inform changes in policy around teaching about empire, migration and belonging.

Teaching of British Empire is a ‘core responsibility’

Dr Jason Todd, co-principal investigator, said: “Teaching about the British Empire, migration and belonging is a core educational responsibility, vital to preparing young people for life in a diverse, democratic society.

“Until now, there has been no national evidence base to inform changes in policy around teaching about empire, migration and belonging. This report provides that evidence. Change depends on many people, not one part alone, and responsibility extends across the sector.”

The findings highlight a range of challenges facing teachers, including limited curriculum time and restricted access to appropriate resources, as well as uneven levels of confidence and training.

Only 21 per cent of teachers surveyed recalled receiving any specialist input on teaching about Britain’s Empire as part of their initial teacher training (ITT).

While the recent Francis curriculum and assessment review called for more diverse and representative texts in the teaching of English, it did not specify anything about the teaching of the British Empire.

Teachers involved in PortraitEMB expressed concern about the level of support that is provided when teaching about the country’s imperial history.

‘Complex and demanding’ history

Some teachers noted that “support is not always easy to find” and teaching about the British Empire can be “complex and demanding”.

This included navigating potentially offensive stereotypes, managing sensitivities around language and content and responding to unpredictable or emotionally charged classroom reactions.

“A number of teachers, particularly those identifying as White British, expressed uncertainty about using appropriate terminology, concerns about causing offence, and discomfort when directly discussing issues of race,” the report states.

However, there is very limited existing support or guidance beyond individual school or departmental colleagues to help teachers navigate challenges and potential tensions.

Half of all teachers said that their ITT included a specific focus on teaching emotive or controversial topics; only a quarter had received content related to the discussion of race or racism within a school context.

Support with ‘difficult conversations’

Exam boards - which are advised in the report to reframe GCSE and A-level specifications - expressed anxiety about possible backlashes when introducing what could be perceived as progressive new material, such as the inclusion of references to “migration” in place of “immigration” in previous texts.

In response to these challenges, the report sets out a framework of school-based principles for curriculum, pedagogy and professional development.

These include reviewing subject content and building career-long professional development, as well as reviewing curriculum and assessment frameworks to support more inclusive and connected approaches.

Students underlined the importance of learning about the British Empire to help them “better navigate difficult conversations around race, nation and prejudice, both within school and beyond”.

The report, which was made possible with the support of the , also suggests providing time and structured support for teachers to rehearse difficult conversations.