By Shamima Khanom Teacher of History and Theory of Knowledge Coordinator
I attended the launch of the Commission into Countering Online Conspiracies in Schools on the 10th of February 2025 at One Birdcage Walk. There was a short research presentation from Public First, a speech from Sir Trevor Pears from the Pears Foundation and Sir Mufti Hamid Patel, CEO of Star Academies (co-chairs of the Commission), and remarks from Josh MacAlister MP. In this private event, I was joined by people and organisations like The Times, Channel 4, Fair Education Alliance, and many others who are all invested to be part of this important project.
The Commission into Countering Online Conspiracies in Schools was established to investigate the prevalence and impact of conspiracy theories, misinformation, and disinformation among students in English schools. Supported by the Pears Foundation, Public First, and Star Academies, the Commission conducted extensive research involving nearly 500 teachers, 2,000 parents, and 2,300 young people. Research has found that online conspiracy theories are widespread in classrooms, with many students sharing them, sometimes without believing in them. Factors such as age, gender, socioeconomic background, and feelings of marginalization influence susceptibility to these theories. Teachers have expressed concerns about the lack of differentiation between fact and fiction among students and are also concerned that they do not have enough knowledge, support, or resources to deal with this.
Key findings in the report were:
Academic definitions of conspiracy, misinformation, and disinformation are not understood in the same way by the public.
Young people and adults exist in information silos and, as a result, informational asymmetry is a pressing issue in this space.
Some demographics and groups of young people are more vulnerable to conspiracy beliefs than others.
Some young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) may be more vulnerable to conspiracy beliefs, but more research is needed in this area.
Pupils discussing conspiracy beliefs in schools are not necessarily doing so because they hold a strong or genuine belief.
Although pupils report encountering conspiracy theories, most pupils don’t think they are a problem.
Consuming conspiracy content influences pupil behaviour outside of direct conspiracy beliefs.
Trust in adults is high, especially from younger teenagers.
Despite this trust, when it comes to conspiracy belief, adulthood doesn’t equate to expertise.
While adults are concerned about young people’s beliefs in conspiracy theories, they don’t prioritise it among other pressures on young people.
Teachers are identified by both parents and young people as a popular vehicle for intervention; however, teachers don’t always feel confident addressing these issues.
There should be a ‘pedagogy, not punishment’ approach to these issues in schools.
As a teacher myself, I found some of these key findings relatable and on point. In our field, there is an expectation that we know how to deal with everything within and outside of the classroom on top of everything else we have to do. The reality is that we try our best to provide the safest environment for our students; however, there are and always will be cases where we don’t have the knowledge and practice to deal with scenarios especially when it is not typical to occur in our daily classroom lives. Discussing this with Peter Whitehead in the event, we both agreed that it would benefit educators to be provided with more CPDs and training in matters like online conspiracy theories. Even more, it is vital to understand the difference between misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy and this knowledge should be transferred to all stakeholders. It is extremely important that educators have a better understanding and idea about how to handle situations that pop up in school especially in the classroom. While it is our responsibility to report concerns to safeguarding, it is equally important that we can provide effective verbal solutions in the moment so students can learn from their mistakes- live. There have been many cases where teachers have left feeling unsure and uncertain which leads to things falling through the cracks. It is also crucial that our young people can understand themselves the words and phrases they say that may seem harmless and may be harmless but put into different contexts, there may be different connotations and meanings. If students can explore and be educated on these things; the causes, the consequences, the weight of certain ideas and ideologies then they will be able to understand themselves better. Understanding themselves better equates to having more control of what their future may look like.
The Commission inspired me to think about a better future where there is better education for young people, more resources and support for educators and a world that isn’t navigated by discrimination, stereotyping and unkindness. This event was Phase 1. Phase 2 is Implementation where schools get more involved. Westminster Academy will be one of the institutions that will be at the forefront of this project which is an exciting opportunity for us. It is truly amazing that Public First and others are doing this for our schools. It is needed and I will be interested to see what is coming. I will keep you updated!
Reflection question: What conspiracy theories exist in your subject and how does your curriculum tackle them?
Further reading:
Teachers need urgent support to tackle conspiracy theories in the classroom:
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