Backed by Attorney General
The goverment has launched free ‘Rule of Law’ lessons for schoolchildren aged five to 16, with a view to helping them understand their legal rights and how the legal system works.
Forming part of a “practical exploration of what citizenship teaching could look like”, the lesson plans backed by the Attorney General will be rolled out across schools in England and Wales. They have been designed in collaboration with Oak National Academy and the Association of Citizenship Teachers, both of which are used by the majority of schools and supported by the Department for Education.
The new initiative will introduce children to key concepts such as why rules exist, fairness and rights, all the way up to “contemporary threats to the rule of law”.
AG Lord Hermer KC, who was appointed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer in 2024, said: “Every child deserves to understand the laws and rights that protect them,” adding that too many schools had, until now, lacked the high-quality resources to teach the subject with confidence.
The lesson plans will include a variety of resources, such as worksheets, explainer videos and quizzes, which will help pupils understand the rule of law, which the Department for Education terms a “Fundamental British Value”.
“By helping pupils understand their rights, the protections the law provides, and the role they play in society, these lessons will support young people to become informed, active citizens,” said John Roberts, chief executive of Oak National Academy.
When the government does something which the people do not like, that is called democracy.
When the government refuses to do something which the people want, that is called the rule of law.
When the people try to elect different politicians, or to engage in peaceful protest, that is called “contemporary threats to the rule of law”.