Reform UK will order all schools to fly Union Jack and display portrait of King

Dan McDonald
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:44:52 +0000

Reform UK has announced plans to mandate that all schools display a portrait of King Charles and fly the Union Jack as part of sweeping education reforms.

The party unveiled its proposals ahead of St George's Day, pledging to implement a "patriotic curriculum" within the first 100 days of taking power.

Under the policy, at least 60 per cent of assessed history content would need to focus on Britain.

The Education Secretary would gain powers to intervene at schools that fail to comply with the new requirements.

Suella Braverman, Reform's education spokeswoman, said: "Tory and Labour governments have failed a generation of young people with a substandard curriculum that undermines academic rigour and national identity in favour of promoting their mass migration agenda."

She added: "Reform will end this. As Education Secretary, I will introduce a new curriculum that will rekindle national pride and ensure that every child leaves school with an understanding of what a privilege it is to be British."

The party also laid into the current approach to teaching history, arguing it is delivered through a "progressive lens" and shaped to fit contemporary viewpoints.

Reform affirmed its revised syllabus would present "the true story of these isles including all of our successes, failures and turning points".

Mandatory topics would include the Magna Carta, the Wars of the Roses, the English Civil War, the Glorious Revolution, the Act of Union, the Enlightenment, and Victorian Britain.

These subjects already feature within existing GCSE history specifications offered by examination boards in England.

Schools would also be required to observe St George's Day in England.

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Funding would be made available for flagpoles to display the Union flag alongside national flags in Scotland and Wales.

The party acknowledged that education policy is devolved to the Scottish and Welsh governments - but indicated it would pursue identical reforms if it gained control of Holyrood or the Senedd.

Reform noted that in 2024, every state-funded school received an offer of a royal portrait, yet only 34 per cent accepted.

The announcement came as Sir Keir Starmer staked claim to England's flag in his St George's Day message.

The PM launched a scathing attack on "plastic patriotism that corrodes the very bonds that tie us together".

Following a St George's Day reception at Downing Street, the Prime Minister vowed to confront those who "try to hijack our flag to spread hate".

He said: "I know what the flag of St George stands for. It stands for decency over division. Unity over hate.

"And a country where patriotism is measured by what you put in, not what hate you stir up."

“Those are the values I will always fight for.”

The Prime Minister added: “We will fly our flag proudly. It’s our flag. It belongs to us, and we will fly it for the values that we believe in, and they are the values of the people I’ve named in this room tonight.”