Opinion piece argues teaching Britain's role in the slave trade should not remain optional

A Guardian opinion column by Morgan Ofori, a former secondary school history teacher, argues that teaching children in England about Britain's historical role in the transatlantic slave trade should no longer be treated as optional within the national curriculum.

The piece notes that history is taught in England from ages five to 14 with the stated aim of building critical thinking and helping pupils understand the world they have inherited. It cites the key stage 3 national curriculum, covering ages 11 to 14, which states that pupils should understand how "Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world."

Drawing on her own experience in the classroom, the author reflects on the limits of what she was able to teach about this period of British history, arguing that mounting historical evidence about slavery's role in shaping Britain's economy and society strengthens the case for making this content a required, rather than optional, part of the curriculum.

As an opinion piece, the column presents the author's personal argument and professional experience rather than a straight news report, and reflects an ongoing public debate in England over how the history of slavery and empire should be taught in schools.

The question of curriculum content around Britain's colonial and slave-trade history has been a recurring subject of public and academic debate in recent years, with educators and historians continuing to weigh in on what should be mandatory classroom content.