In this post, and aim to encourage educators to critically examine how colonial knowledge has shaped the current Eurocentric curriculum. Applying a decolonial lens in primary science can help initiate a shift toward more equitable and inclusive educational practices which address the diversity of children in our classrooms.
The 2020 Black Lives Matter protests raised questions about how certain social structures were perpetuated in the . The 2013 English National Curriculum positions knowledge acquisition from a white British culture point of view. Our ‘overwhelmingly white curriculum’ (Harris, 2020 p.17) does not reflect the diversity in race and ethnicities that we see in our multicultural society today (Demie, 2021; Harris, 2020). In contrast to the dominant social group, the histories, identities, and lived experiences of students from minority backgrounds are seldom reflected in curriculum materials (Demie, 2021). The National Curriculum does not promote equitable science learning experiences for all children, especially those from Black, Asian and minority ethic (BAME). Data from STEM Learning for 2022 confirms that whilst 10% of students from White British backgrounds progressed to take science A levels, this was the case for less than 5% for students from Black Caribbean backgrounds.
Busy teachers, who do not have the time or support to be critical of what they teach, might not realise that the curriculum is based on a colonial view of the world which severs pre-existing forms of knowledge and being in order to maintain power and control. By asking what and why of the National Curriculum, teachers can provide more equitable opportunities for the diverse range of children that they teach. This is supported by the 2025 , which recommends exposure to 'a wide range of perspectives that serve to broaden [students’] horizons […] a curriculum that reflects the issues and diversities of our society […] ensuring all children and young people are represented' (DfE, 2025, p.51).
Reflection on practice
As science lead, Danielle began looking critically at the science curriculum, adopting a decolonial lens to ‘unlearn’ what they had been told to teach and ‘relearn’ how they could teach science in a more equitable way (Moncrieffe et al., 2025) so that all children felt represented and valued in their science lessons. Danielle supported the children to look beyond the scientists exemplified by the National Curriculum and to make links between what they were being taught and what historical, worldwide scientific ideas might have come before the discoveries presented in the science curriculum.
Decolonising primary science in practice
Danielle used a decolonial lens to teach two science topics: the solar system in Year 5 and classification in Year 6. In Year 5, children learn about the solar system and the National Curriculum (2013) recommends that students learn about Ptolemy and his geocentric model of the universe as well as the heliocentric model of Copernicus. However, there are earlier ideas about Earth and space which the teacher wanted to highlight. Danielle showed the children a map of the world entitled “Who wondered about Earth and Space?” This showed images of ancient civilisations who studied the stars many years before Ptolemy, notably the Gamilaraay people in Australia, 65,000 BCE (Noon, 2025 and Cook, 2018); the Pacific Islanders who used the stars as navigational tools in 1,500 BCE (Pablo and Spiers, 2023; Tuhiwai-Smith, 2021) and the Ancient Chinese unique mapping of the stars from 1,200 BCE (Carter, 2026). These understandings of the world predate the colonial European scientific discoveries which we are advised to teach by the National Curriculum. By putting these examples on a timeline, the children could see the relevance of earlier discoveries from a broader range of people from across the world. By broadening the view of who was doing important science in the past, more children felt represented and developed a deeper sense of belonging and connectedness in the science classroom.
In Year 6, where children learn about the classification system of Carl Linnaeus, referred to as 'a pioneer of classification' in the National Curriculum (DfE, 2013, p.31), Danielle highlighted the earlier classification systems of the Yuin and Mythaka peoples in Australia. This ancient sacred and ancestral knowledge of how living things are connected and grouped still exists within indigenous communities in Australia today (Pascoe, 2018; Rioux and Ewing, 2022). The teacher reflected that this approach not only increased engagement and understanding across the whole class, but it also supported children’s reasoning and analytical skills. Because the teacher modelled the skills of critical and conceptual thinking, the children we were able to apply these skills later in the topic. We believe that exposing children to other knowledges supports their critical and conceptual thinking skills, which will support them later in life as part of the future workforce.
A call to action
Teachers have asked us, “How am I supposed to know about these previous systems of knowledge?” The answer is that you are not expected to know, a decolonial approach begins with teachers' curiosity and criticality. We ask teachers to take the first step by being open to self-reflection and self-education about colonialism and how it continues to perpetuate itself in our schools and curriculum. To prompt this thinking, you can ask yourself:
1) Who is being exemplified in the science National Curriculum and why?
2) Can I use the internet to find out about knowledge prior to colonisation from around the world?
We ask educators to be critical of the National Curriculum, both the current 2013 and the new version due for publication in spring 2027, and question whether the content is promoting equitable learning experiences for the children in their class, who deserve an inclusive and diverse education. Finally, we call on teachers to engage with continued professional development to support them in applying a decolonial lens to their teaching of science as well as across all curriculum subjects.
About the authors
is an accredited trainer for several national science education initiatives, including STEM Learning, the Primary Science Quality Mark, and the Primary Science Enhancement Award. She is an associate consultant for the Primary STEM Education Consultancy. Emily sits on the Primary Committee of the Association for Science Education and is senior lecturer at .
is an experienced classroom teacher and subject leader who has developed curricula, led STEM initiatives, and presented at national teacher education conferences across three London boroughs. She is an associate trainer in anti-racism education and advocate for inclusion and decolonising education, co-creating a toolkit and producing a podcast.
Teacher training at St Mary's
With 175 years of experience in teacher education and an ‘Outstanding’ rating from Ofsted, St Mary’s is a strong place to start your teaching career. If you already have a degree, you can train through our or . If you’re starting out, our leads to both an honours degree and Qualified Teacher Status, so you’ll be ready to step into a primary classroom when you graduate.
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