Race, Faith and Community in Contemporary Britain Essays on Black, African, and African Caribbean Muslims in the UK PROUDLY MUSLIM & BLACK REPORT 2022

Over 20% of Britain’s population is now of minority ethnic background, with nearly
25% of the school age population of Black or minority ethnic heritage. Despite this,
according to a review of the national curriculum by Ofsted, the Schools inspection
service for England, cultural diversity and multiculturalism are poorly taught in schools.
The UK Coalition Government has placed history as central to the formation of British
identity and citizenship and has redefined the national curriculum, placing greater
emphasis on British ‘island’ history and neglecting the contribution of Britain’s ethnic
minority communities to that history and to British identity.
As the current GCSE curriculum stands, there are options to study a variety of wider world
depth studies. These options include ‘Conflict and tension,’ ‘Between East and West 1945-1972’,
‘In Asia, 1950-1975’ and ‘In the Gulf and Afghanistan 1990-2009,’ as well as, and unsurprisingly,
‘The First World War 1894-1918’ and ‘The inter-war years, 1918-1939.’ Those of which have
already limited representation; East and West, Asia and Afghanistan, are being ‘represented.’
however the context of ‘Conflict and tension’ prescribes a premeditated idea that they are
regions that are problematic and the emphasis on war and conflict, strays away from the idea
that these countries and communities have a rich history and contributions to offer to the rest
of the world. The course is selected depending on whether academic staff have the knowledge
and facilities to do so. What little representation is available is most likely not taught at all.
The lack of diversity and representation of the Black and ethnic minority community in the
history curriculum has an impact on not only the pupils studying history, but the interest to
pursue the subject at GCSE and A-Level. It also underscores the idea that non-white and
non-British people had little or no impact or contribution to British history and consequently,
society. The curriculum begins with children aged 5, and so from a young age it passes on
a limited perspective to pupils. It alienates children from learning about their own heritage,
especially if their background is not British.
Britain’s first Black female children’s laureate and award-winning author of the ‘Noughts and
Crosses’ series Malorie Blackman told the Guardian in an interview, “I understand you need
to learn about Henry VIII but when I was young I wanted to learn about something that felt
more relevant (Rustin, 2013).” It is clear Blackman grasps the significance of understanding
British history, however being a Black female pupil at the time, as well as a member of the BME
community, it is difficult to gain a sense of belonging in relation to a curriculum which heavily
focuses on a narrow conception of British history. It gives pupils the unfortunate opportunity
to dismiss different civilisations and ignore global contributing factors to British history.
Another issue which may arise in schools is the idea of racial inferiority. As Black and Asian
students, particularly may already feel disconnected, they may begin to think that their
historical contribution is non-existent, inciting a sense of inferiority, as opposed to a majority
of white British pupils, of whom have a clear and strong sense of relation and understanding
of their background and a sense of contribution to society.
Rethinking Diversity in Education
Martin Spafford, who has thirty years’ experience as a history teacher and the co-author of
the OCR Migration unit in the UK history curriculum emphasises the importance of embedding
diversity and particularly the demand to embrace British Muslim history.
Spafford is an advocate of teaching multi-cultural and ethnic heritage within the history
curriculum in the classroom. At a conference, in 2016, although focusing on British Muslim
heritage he spoke about the different reasons in which he believes it is important to teach
of a wider British heritage in history lessons. He particularly describes the need to educate
students on British Muslim heritage and its impact on society. He cited from his experience as
a teacher of history for thirty years that:
An understanding of the cultural influence of Islam throughout our history and that
relationship goes right back to the thinkers before the Norman Conquest and earlier
and of course right up until the present day with cultural influence and importance of
Islam, scientific, artistic and philosophical and so on. (Spafford 2016)
He emphasised the “variety and complexity within British Islamic experience” while explaining
the importance of knowing our own histories, and believing that they matter. Having that
awareness of the Black and minority ethnic history makes sure we do not end up with a narrow
sense of what it means to be white British, or Black and British or Asian and British.
The OCR Migration Unit for GCSE (OCR 2013) seeks to “deepen students’ understanding of the
long history of Britain as a diverse society.” The course is designed to rid of any misconceptions
pupils may have about what society has conjured the image of migration to be.
Although we may not have enough representation of Black and ethnic minorities in British
history, individuals and professionals are using their positions and passion to instigate the muchneeded
reform in education. Birmingham City University is one of the very few institutions
that has introduced diversity into the curriculum. In 2016, applications were available for the
first UK undergraduate degree in Black Studies for 2017 enrolment. Although the introduction
of a course focusing on the Black minority community has come into existence, the national
curriculum and education in terms of British history has yet to transform and progress to
reflect its diverse communities. “While those of us running the course are proud that it is the
first of its kind, the fact that it has never been done before demonstrates the crisis at the heart
of British academia” (Andrews, 2016).
Underrepresentation is a central feature of contemporary university departments; Black
historians make up less than 1% of UK university-based History staff (Royal Historical Society
2018). The even less diverse academic staff within these departments of UK universities, can
leave room for discrimination, bias and exclusion and a white-washing of ethnic histories and
An understanding of the cultural influence of Islam throughout
our history and that relationship goes right back to the thinkers
before the Norman Conquest and earlier and of course right up until
the present day with cultural influence and importance of Islam,
scientific, artistic and philosophical and so on.
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