At 20th anniversary the MHMT advocates including social cohesion in the new UK National Curriculum

On the tenth anniversary of the bombings, the Miriam Hyman Memorial Trust launched Miriam’s Vision. Three years later the MV Impact & Evaluation Study demonstrated that “the Miriam’s Vision materials are effective in … contextualising diversity through experiential learning”.

With the change in government in 2024, the Department for Education launched its Curriculum and Assessment Review. The MHMT responded to the call for evidence in October 2024, proposing the explicit inclusion of social cohesion in the curriculum.

The MHMT welcomed the interim report of the government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review in February 2025, which briefly mentions social cohesion in its Executive Summary: “The curriculum plays a crucial role in … promoting social cohesion and sustaining democracy”.

In response to the interim report, the MHMT wrote to the Minister for School Standards, Catherine McKinnell MP, in an attempt to persuade the government to explicitly include social cohesion in the new version of the UK National Curriculum. She responded:

“The independent curriculum and assessment review wants to ensure a … curriculum that reflects the issues and diversities of our society … The review is carrying out further investigation into specific policy and subject issues … building on the body of evidence gathered so far.”

Mavis Hyman, Miriam’s mother and Chair of MHMT Trustees, said: “The fact that social cohesion is mentioned in the Executive Summary of the CAR interim report is encouraging. Miriam’s Vision proposes democracy as a viable alternative to violent extremism, so we are aligned with the report’s general ethos. However, we are now advocating that social cohesion should be expressly included in the new National Curriculum.”

Esther Hyman, Miriam’s sister, said: “Our experience is testament to the devastating consequences of failing to address social cohesion in a meaningful way. Education is vital. Our message is clear: Include social cohesion in the new National Curriculum.”