Debates over how the British Empire should be taught in England's schools have become deeply politicised – something echoed in many parts of the world as young people, in particular, have drawn attention to the ongoing legacies of imperial pasts and settler colonialism. Drawing on extensive empirical research in schools, this Element explains what students are actually taught about British imperialism and its complexities. Most significantly, it demonstrates that students engage with the topic in diverse and unexpected ways, influenced by their multiple identities, their home backgrounds, their peers, their engagement with social media, and by wider societal discourses in England. The research reveals that far from schools 'indoctrinating' students, as is so often claimed, schooling is not decisive in forming young people's perceptions of empire. Instead, teachers and students are broadly united in wanting to teach and learn more about Britain's imperial past and its resonance today, with efforts already underway to further develop the teaching of this topic in England's schools. This title is also available as open access on Cambridge Core.