Schools to teach right and wrong

EDUCATION Secretary Nicky Morgan is set to announce further plans to deter extremism in schools by promoting "British values" in nurseries.

In an extension of the proposals laid out by her predecessor Michael Gove Mrs Morgan is planning to give additional powers to councils to stop funding early years providers with links to extremism.

In the measures, due to be outlined later today, Mrs Morgan is believed to be planning on saying that toddlers must learn "fundamental British values".

When the moves where first announced by Mr Gove, in relation to the alleged "Trojan Horse plot" by Islamic extremists to take over schools in Birmingham, they were criticised for trying to regulate what being British really meant.

Mrs Morgan's speech will come only days after the former Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams claimed that the true teaching of Islam was restoring British values in the community.

Speaking at the  annual Living Islam Festival in Lincolnshire last Friday Mr Williams said:

"In Birmingham we have seen a local parish and a mosque combining together to provide family services and youth activities.

"It's really important that we respect and try to understand diversity of conscience and belief and conviction. These are not just about what makes us British – they're about what makes us human."

Dilwar Hussain, chairman of the Islamic charity New Horizons, praised Mr Williams in The Times: "That is a sentiment we would agree with very much.

"We would also be concerned about any of those values being taken to extremes, whether it's communitarianism or individualism."

In an example of the difficulties deciding what British values really are Mr William's statement was condemned by some atheist and humanist groups.

Andrew Copson, chief executive of the British Humanist Association, warned that the speech could undermine social cohesion.

"Narratives that promote the view that religious belonging is necessary for social responsibility may be comforting to those for whom the promotion of religion is a profession, but in the UK they are totally unsupported by evidence."

A devout Christian Mrs Morgan has made it clear that funding would be withheld from establishments that teach creationism as scientific fact.

"One of the most important roles of the education system is that it should prepare young people for life in modern Britain," she is expected to say later.

"I am clear that public money should not be used to support any school or early years provider that does not support this aim because it seeks to promote ideas and teachings than run counter to fundamental British values."

The plans will also include forcing schools to take on roles traditionally associated with parents of teaching young children the difference between right from wrong, learning to take turns and share, and to challenge negative attitudes and stereotypes.

It is also believed that school inspectorate OFSTED will be given additional powers to inspect early years providers on how they are promoting the proposed values.

As Britain becomes an increasingly multi-cultural society Mrs Morgan may find that legislating what are and are not "traditional British values" may not be as clear cut as she had initially hoped.