[]

A

bill

to

Create an entitlement to citizenship education from primary to the end of secondary education, and make provision about the availability of relevant teachers; to supplement the existing aims of citizenship education; and for connected purposes.

Be it enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
1 Citizenship education (1)

There shall be an entitlement to citizenship education for pupils from key stages one to four in the National Curriculum and the Schedule has effect accordingly in relation to key stages one and two.

 (2)

Citizenship education at key stages one and two must include teaching of the core elements of financial and media literacy, democracy and government, law and rights, and climate change and sustainability.

 (3)

Citizenship education at key stages three and four must align with and strengthen the teaching of citizenship at key stages one and two and seek to increase the take-up of GCSE Citizenship Studies.

 (4)

Local authorities, governing bodies and head teachers must ensure that there is at least one teacher trained in citizenship education at key stages one to four in each school.

 (5)

The Secretary of State must give guidance to primary and secondary schools in relation to the provision and assessment of citizenship education, including civic and constitutional education, to which schools must have regard, and which must be reviewed annually.
2 Extent, commencement and short title (1)

This Act extends to England and Wales.

 (2)

This Act comes into force on the day on which it is passed.

 (3)

This Act may be cited as the Citizenship Education Act 2026.
Schedule

Section 1

 Amendments 1

In section 84 (3) of the Education Act 2002—

 (a)

after paragraph (g), insert— (gza)

citizenship,

 ;

(b)

omit sub-paragraph (h)(i).

 2

In Article 3 of the Education (National Curriculum) (Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study) (England) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/2232)—

 (a)

in paragraph (1), after “music” insert “citizenship”, and

 (b)

in paragraph (2), after “music” insert “citizenship”.

 []

Ordered to be Printed, 17th June 2026.

© Parliamentary copyright House of Lords

This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament Licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright

Published by the authority of the House of Lords