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Written question asked by James McMurdock (Independent (affiliation)) on Monday, 13 July 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 15 July 2026. It was answered by Georgia Gould (Labour) on Tuesday, 21 July 2026 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Social Media: Animal Welfare

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance she provides to schools on addressing social media trends that encourage cruelty towards animals.

Answer

As part of the updated statutory relationships and health education guidance in primary schools and relationships, sex and health education guidance in secondary schools, pupils are taught about online safety and harms. This includes harmful content and the risks associated with social media trends. Teaching also includes content on the characteristics of social media and the importance of making responsible decisions about appropriate social media content.

Whilst animal welfare is not a compulsory part of the national curriculum, there are opportunities for it to be taught and schools have the autonomy to teach additional topics flexibly, based on local need and that are age appropriate.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
18505
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Animal welfare Schools Social media
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk