Education Science ›› 2026, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (2): 40-46.

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Exploring the Integrated Approach of Moral Education Curriculum in the United Kingdom Oriented Towards Shared National Values

Lin Ke   

  1. Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
  • Online:2026-03-15 Published:2026-05-19

Abstract:

In response to changing social conditions and conflicts among diverse values, the UK has promoted the integration of “British fundamental values” across education, seeking to realize the vision of fostering shared national values among students. At the conceptual level, six strands—moral education, character education, values education, citizenship education, health education, and religious education—and their curricular forms are interconnected, aiming to enhance citizens’ overall competencies. At the policy level, curriculum frameworks in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland embody an internal logic for fostering students’national identity. An “organically loose” system is formed through the statutory authority of the national curriculum, the value-sharing orientation of local curricula, and the flexible complementarity of school-based curricula. At the implementation level, the integration of moral education follows established educational practices, emphasizing vertical articulation across educational stages, horizontal connections among subjects, and collaboration among multiple stakeholders. A critical review of the UK experience provides useful insights for optimizing values education in China.

Key words: the integration ofmoral education, the integration of moral curricula in the UK, character education, citizenship education, values education

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