MINISTER DEFENDS NEW CURRICULUM

The Government came under fire after the UK's wartime leader was dropped from the list of key historical figures pupils will have to study under the plans.

But Lord Adonis said children will still have to learn about the Second World War as part of the secondary school curriculum, including Churchill's role in defeating the Nazis.

He told Sky News' Sunday Live programme the idea that Churchill was being cut from history lessons was "completely wrong".

He said: "It is a statutory and mandatory requirement of the new curriculum for all students in secondary schools in England study the Second World War.

"I cannot conceive how you can teach the history of the Second World War without having Churchill, Hitler and Stalin as part of the story."

The new curriculum, which will be taught from September 2008, is intended to be far more flexible than the current National Curriculum.

The Government claimed the reforms would free up around a quarter of the school day by cutting down on duplication, so teachers could concentrate on giving extra help to pupils who were falling behind.