Troy Deeney is absolutely right that we need to diversify the curriculum to better represent our society (My teacher said I’d more likely be dead by 25 than a footballer. What if I had listened?, 23 May). The books on the English literature curriculum do not represent the lives of young people. Although 34% of school-age children in England identify as Black, Asian or minority ethnic, our nationwide research shows fewer than 1% of GCSE English literature students study a book by a writer of colour.
This isn’t about removing important writers from the curriculum; classic writers will always have a place. But we must broaden the voices and stories studied. Far too few young people currently see themselves in what they read.
