Dear Friend

Please find below points addressing many of your concerns regarding Holocaust education here in the UK.

Concerns were initially raised in April 2007 following the publication of the 'Teaching Emotive and Controversial History 3-19' Report by the Historical Association.

Further concerns were raised again in July 2007 following a review of the National Curriculum.

I would like to assure you that to our knowledge, the Holocaust is and will continue to remain a mandatory component of the National Curriculum for History, as it has been since 1991.

In February 2008, Ed Balls MP, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families refuted claims that the Holocaust has been removed from the National Curriculum and also announced the renewed Government funding for the Holocaust Educational Trust’s ‘Lessons from Auschwitz’ Project which includes a one day visit to the former Nazi concentration and death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau for students engaged in post-16 education.

He said:
“The Holocaust was one of the most horrific and profound events in world history and I want every young person to have an understanding of it. Over 60 years on there are still lessons that we can all learn from this and the funding we are announcing today is money wisely spent.

Teaching of the Holocaust is compulsory in all secondary schools between the ages of 11 and 14 and can also be studied in GCSE History courses when studying the Second World War. There is also scope to cover it in English, Politics lessons and Citizenship classes. The Holocaust Educational Trust’s project is extremely valuable and one I am delighted the Government is able to support.”

I would be grateful if you could pass this email and attachment onto as many people as possible to refute any of these unfounded rumours circulating via email.

Karen Pollock
Chief Executive

Holocaust education in the UK:

• The Holocaust became part of the National Curriculum for History in 1991. It is statutory for all students in England to learn about the Holocaust at Key Stage 3 usually in Year 9 History (aged 13-14).

• Many students will study the Holocaust in Religious Studies, English and Citizenship lessons.

• The UK holds a national Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27th (marking the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau) and this is marked widely in primary and secondary schools across the country.

• The UK has a permanent Holocaust exhibition at the Imperial War Museum in London, visited by thousands of people each year.

• The British Government sponsors two students (16–18 year olds) per secondary school/ further education college to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau through the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Lessons from Auschwitz Project (This is due to a £1.5 million grant from the Government every year from 2006-2011).

• The British Government also supports a new teacher training programme: the Holocaust Education Development Programme (HEDP) is run by the Institute of Education (IOE), University of London and jointly funded by the Pears Foundation and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) with support from the Holocaust Educational Trust (HET). The funding for this project was announced in April 2007 and the training programme started in September 2009.

• The recent interim report by Sir Jim Rose suggests that subjects such as History and Religious Studies could be merged in primary schools. Teaching the Holocaust has never been mandatory at primary level but many students do learn about the Holocaust at this age. A number of organisations such as the Holocaust Educational Trust, Anne Frank Trust (UK) and The Holocaust Centre near Newark have produced educational materials and exhibitions for students of primary age.

• School groups and private individuals visit the permanent Holocaust exhibition at the Imperial War Museum; the Jewish Museum, London; The Holocaust Centre. Educational programmes and resources are also provided by other organisations such as the London Jewish Cultural Centre and the Wiener Library.

• A number of key Holocaust organisations also arrange for Holocaust Survivors to visit schools and share their testimony with students across the country.

We would like to clarify that the Holocaust is not being removed from the National Curriculum.

Please circulate this document far and wide to all who have shown an interest in this particular issue and Holocaust education in general here in the UK.