More “inclusive and diverse” contemporary stories should be included in the English literature curriculum, author Malorie Blackman has said.
Blackman, author of the Noughts And Crosses series, said the promotion of books which are “more relevant and relatable” to young people’s lives could encourage more children to read for pleasure.
In a foreword to a report for the Lit in Colour campaign, Blackman said no child should feel that studying English at school is irrelevant because “they never see themselves” reflected in the literature they read.
The campaign – created by Penguin Books in 2020 in partnership with The Runnymede Trust – aims to help schools make the teaching and learning of English Literature more inclusive of writers of colour.
In a new study, commissioned by Penguin and exam board Pearson Edexcel, University of Oxford researchers assessed the Lit in Colour Pioneers pilot which supports schools to change their set texts to increase the number of pupils studying a text by an author of colour for their GCSE examination.
Teachers reported to researchers that the choice of texts from authors of colour enabled “greater cognitive engagement” on the part of students.
Hayley Robathan, head of English at UTC Derby, said the introduction of Blackman’s Boys Don’t Cry to the syllabus in 2021 – after signing up to the campaign’s pilot – has had a positive impact on GCSE students.
She said: “Boys Don’t Cry has been life-changing in terms of my career, just because I’ve seen such a light going on in so many people’s eyes when we teach something that they are engaged with.
“Academically for us it’s been phenomenal and groundbreaking, in that we’ve gone from a 50% pass rate to a 76% pass rate and the only thing we’ve changed is this novel.”
In a foreword to the report, former Children’s Laureate Blackman said: “There will always be room for the classics in the UK English literature curricula but a space and place needs to be made for more inclusive and diverse contemporary stories across all educational boards.
“These stories, as told by a more diverse cohort of authors, have a relevance, relatability and appeal across all readerships as evidenced by the Lit in Colour Pioneers Pilot research, 2024.
“No child should ever feel that studying English at school is irrelevant because they never see themselves and their lives reflected in the literature they are tasked to read.
“Broadening the scope of the literature available inevitably leads to a broadening of outlook and horizons, providing the inspiration that leads to aspiration.”
The British author, who has written more than 70 books for children and young adults, highlighted the recent decline in the number of students choosing to study English at A-level and suggested that improving the “perceived relevance” of the texts set in the curriculum could help improve engagement.
She said: “Having an English exam curriculum which has a more diverse base when it comes to the literature studied by our children is a matter of enrichment, engagement and sheer common sense and not one of special pleading.
“If we wish to tackle the thorny topic of children who seem to be growing more disaffected by reading for pleasure and in the classroom, then the promotion of books seen to be more relevant and relatable to their own lives and perceptions of society is a crucial first step.”
The Lit in Colour campaign was launched after the global Black Lives Matter protests inspired campaigns to diversify the curriculum in schools.
Exam board Pearson introduced a new set of diverse set texts to their Edexcel English Literature GCSE, which pupils sat exams in for the first time in 2022.
One in 10 of all candidates taking Pearson Edexcel GCSE English Literature answered a question on a text by an author of colour in 2023, the report said.
It suggested that this is 100 times the percentage in 2019, and represents 0.85% of the entire GCSE English Literature cohort.
Across all four exam boards in England, the total percentage of GCSE English Literature students answering on a text by an author of colour has increased from 0.7% in 2019 to 1.5% in 2023.
Teachers were largely positive to researchers about changes in the range of set texts that are now available, but many of them warned that the canon was “still largely white male and dead”.
Tom Weldon, chief executive of Penguin Random House UK, said: “This new research shows the beginning of real systemic change in our schools, and it is encouraging to see so many children excited to see themselves reflected in the books they study and, in turn, discover a love of reading.
“There is still much to be done to support diversity in the curriculum, and we are committed to working with our partners to drive real and meaningful change for readers of the future.”
In July, the Department for Education (DfE) launched its Curriculum and Assessment Review.
In its general election manifesto, Labour promised to deliver a curriculum which is “rich and broad, inclusive, and innovative”.
The Government’s ambition is for the review to make sure children benefit from a curriculum that represents them and their families.
Sarah Hannafin, head of policy at school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “If pupils are to be inspired by what they are taught, they need to be able to relate to it.
“The proof of that is in the pudding when it comes to the eye-catching results of this pilot, which shows the importance of young people being able to access a diverse range of learning resources.
“The children and young people in our schools deserve to have an education that reflects themselves, their families, and the world around them. We hope that the curriculum and assessment review will explore ways to make sure that is the case.”
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “There is a clear need to make the texts we teach children relevant to their lives incorporating writers of colour.
“Changing the curriculum can be a challenge for schools in the context of staff shortages and time pressures, and we welcome support.
“It is also necessary to look at the GCSE English literature specification which is heavily focused on Shakespeare, the 19th century novel and romantic poetry.
“There will always be a case for classic literature but we have to achieve a better balance with more space for diverse contemporary works.”
